Winnipeg Jets were a 'really annoying' foe, Pierre-Luc Dubois says of team he's thrilled to join
Third overall pick in 2016 entry draft confident he'll fit in with a Jets team stacked on offence, Dubois says
Pierre-Luc Duboissaid everything right Sundayfor fans feeling scorned a day after their Finnish phenom Patrik Lainewas traded away.
The newest Winnipeg Jettold a media briefing his new city already feels like home, he's heard nothing but good things about the organization and he's thrilled to join a squadthat was "really annoying" to face.
"It's a teamthat Iused to hate playing against, the combination of size and skill and work ethic, and just [being] hard to play against," the 22-year-old said by video from Winnipeg, where he will spend two weeks quarantining before hitting the ice.
"And then you finish it offwith one of the best goalies in the NHL," he said, referring to Connor Hellebuyck. "It's really, really annoying playing against them."
The formerColumbus Blue Jacket was dealtin a blockbuster deal for Laineon Saturday. The two forwards were at the top of the pecking order in the 2016 entry draft Laine and Dubois were the second and third overall picks, respectively and now they're trading places.
In the trade, Columbusalso received Jack Roslovicfrom the Jets, while Winnipeg will get both Dubois and a2022 third-round draft pick.
Dubois said the Jets havea stacked forward corps. He liked what he saw when he arrived in Winnipeg late Saturday night and caught the highlights from Winnipeg's come-from-behind 6-3 victory over Ottawa.
Plenty of forward skill
"You look at that forward group, from the firstline to the fourth line, there's a lot of depth, a lot of skill," he said.
"You're going to besurrounded with talented players and as a forward, that's all you can ask for. It's really exciting to know that I'm going to be a part of that soon."
Duboiscomes to Winnipeg disgruntled with his former team. He demanded a trade from Columbus and in his last game in the Blue Jackets uniform, last Thursday,was benched for two periods due to what his coach felt was poor effort.
He said Winnipeg fans shouldn'tdwell on the past.
"That's something I'm moving on from," he said.
WATCH | Rob Pizzo takes a look at the blockbuster Jets-Blue Jackets trade:
His demand for a change of scenery didn't happen overnight, he explained, but was a long process.
"Withoutgoing into detail, I just think that sometimes you have to remain true to yourself and how you feel."
Though he replaces a fan-favourite in Laine, Dubois said he doesn't feel the weight of any additional pressure.
"He'sa really good player, but I have high expectations of myself," he said. "I hold myself to a high standard and Iknow what kind of player I can be."
Dubois, who tallied66 goals and 93 assists in 239 career games, said he'll fit right in on a team brimming with skill and size.
The native of Ste-Agathe-des-Monts, Que., knows Winnipeg well. His parents moved tothe city after his father, Eric, took an assistant coaching job with the Manitoba Moose, the Jets' AHL affiliate.
In fact, he spent much of lastspring in Winnipeg while the NHL season was on hold dueto the pandemic. He and his sister bought bikes to tour the city and he said he frequentedDe Luca's, a specialty food store.
"It really feels good here," he said. "Getting texts from the players, being on the phone with the organization yesterday, Ihave a really good feeling."
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