Article: Are the Wild Missing Their Next Big Opportunity In Pierre-Luc Dubois?

[Tony Abbott]

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[Protec]

Let’s hope they miss. Total Chuck Fletcher move. Overpay for a prima dona who’s got mental problems sounds terrible to me. So far it hasn’t worked anywhere. Maybe MN I guess...

[MNCountryLife]

Stanley cup isn't done yet and I'm already going through hockey withdrawals.  

[Quebec1648]

Dubois was in Columbus, but became disgruntled and forced a trade to Winnipeg for Laine, who was also unhappy and wanted a trade. Neither team ended up benefiting from that trade.

The Wild should stay away from players who are prone to tempor tantrums, as it rarely ends well. Dubois could come to the Wild, but after playing for a year or so, I could easily see him demanding a trade. I doubt he would get along with Guerin or Evason, and certainly wouldn't like getting bounced in round one of the playoffs every year.

[Mateo3xm]

On 6/12/2023 at 4:06 PM, Protec said:

Let’s hope they miss. Total Chuck Fletcher move. Overpay for a prima dona who’s got mental problems sounds terrible to me. So far it hasn’t worked anywhere. Maybe MN I guess...

I have to agree.

i do not think this guy is a good fit.

he seems to have tiny heart syndrome.

I think he’s going to the Habs anyway 

[Protec]

PL Dubious if you ask me. He’s probably gonna whine til he gets to MTL where he can soak them for some years.

[mnfaninnc]

Are his complaints warranted? Or is he just a whiner? Did he envision being the top center in Winnipeg? It pretty much looked like he quit on Columbus. Is it just Montreal or bust for him? Would playing with someone of like Kaprizov change things? Would winning change things?

It just seems to me that this guy has got a lot of talent, a huge body and would be a great fit on paper for us. But there are red flags, and those red flags likely mean a lower salary on an extension that would need to be in place. 

If we're only relegated to getting another LW in the 1st round, I'd be willing to chance it. We've got to solve the down the middle problem this year. The player doesn't have to be here yet for it to be solved, but we need an answer.

[Protec]

Montreal loves apathetic Quebec natives. Remember when they traded Sergachev for Drouin? How’d that work out?

I don’t see why the Wild would wait and not get Eichel, Miller, or Dubious the first time but then after bailing on WPG, now MN should want him.

Doesn’t make sense to me, but of course you can get damaged goods cheap. Talk’n about grit, who wants the guy who can’t get motivated for millions and hates life in the last two cities the same. No dignity, everyone thinks you’re a goofball. Who’s his agent? So weird.

[mnfaninnc]

8 minutes ago, Protec said:

Doesn’t make sense to me, but of course you can get damaged goods cheap. Talk’n about grit, who wants the guy who can’t get motivated for millions and hates life in the last two cities the same. No dignity, everyone thinks you’re a goofball. Who’s his agent? So weird.

I'm not saying it isn't risky, but are there legit reasons for the complaints? Sometimes a bad fit for a player just ends badly. These have been 2 bad fits. Is Montreal the only good fit? Maybe. Maybe not.

[Protec]

I think PLD is talented. He's shown flashes like Drouin did, like Granlund, Zucker, Coyle, or Kakko. Some players just don't reach the heights MN needs. The Wild don't have cap space to take chances with.

Yes sometimes there's a bad fit or change of scenery needed. Perhaps there's cases of expectations being set too high.

I just think when you remove yourself from the current thing and look historically at similar cases or players, you find that the truth emerges and offers a glimpse into the current situations. When asked, players will talk about talented hockey players who decide when they want to play. Guys who's heart is far greater than their talent. Some players can just score goals or be winners. Goalies who can stand on their head. Most often these things come and go over a handful of years. Very few players prove themselves as consistently driven and talented enough to be great. Good for a period, yes but perhaps not great. Kaprizov is already the best player MN has ever had but what does that do to get closer to a Cup. In the beginning, nada...

I think the Wild want to build center depth and we've waited and tried to find the right deal. MN has waited this long, let's hope the timing and assets work out to go after Stephenson or Draisaitl later, or affordable guys now like Haula & Nosek who MN could afford and went to the Finals together while in Vegas.

This is exactly why I said PLD is a Chuck Fletcher move cause he liked to do flashy stuff making it seem like he was buying the hype or willing to overlook risk for a short-term benefit.

Edited June 14, 2023 by Protec

[Willy the poor boy]

7 hours ago, Protec said:

Montreal loves apathetic Quebec natives. Remember when they traded Sergachev for Drouin? How’d that work out?

I don’t see why the Wild would wait and not get Eichel, Miller, or Dubious the first time but then after bailing on WPG, now MN should want him.

Doesn’t make sense to me, but of course you can get damaged goods cheap. Talk’n about grit, who wants the guy who can’t get motivated for millions and hates life in the last two cities the same. No dignity, everyone thinks you’re a goofball. Who’s his agent? So weird.

He needs to go to Buffalo. Him and Diggsy can cry in their beers together...

[mnfaninnc]

19 hours ago, Protec said:

I think the Wild want to build center depth and we've waited and tried to find the right deal. MN has waited this long, let's hope the timing and assets work out to go after Stephenson or Draisaitl later, or affordable guys now like Haula & Nosek who MN could afford and went to the Finals together while in Vegas.

This is exactly why I said PLD is a Chuck Fletcher move cause he liked to do flashy stuff making it seem like he was buying the hype or willing to overlook risk for a short-term benefit.

I'm ok getting the center in a couple of years, but we need the longterm solution filled this offseason, whether it's with draft picks, trades, or whatever. Perhaps their delivery date isn't until '25, but having that plugged into the system is what's needed!

Remember, this take is based upon us not landing a center with our 1st pick and drafting another LW instead.

[Protec]

Get the best center you can with size and skill as a priority. The one caveat being, not to skip an ideal wing or defenseman. 

Approach the first three picks that way and hope you get 2-3 centers. I think even if you could get to 17th, most of the highly ranked centers are gone. 

If you can't get Detroit's first pick or Arzona's second, or Pittsburgh's at 14th, I think you just wait.

Try to trade Addison to get a 3rd pick in the 2nd round. Detroit's 40th overall, I'm thinking...

[hockeyman1054]

The club would have to go through a ton of financial gymnastics to make a deal like this a reality right now. Outside of maturity and mental stability, he could possibly fill a lot of needs up the middle, but I'd be surprised if he had any interest in coming to the Wild. He has already been with two organizations that share similarities with the Wild. What makes anyone think he'd be happy in St. Paul? I would approach this with a heapin' helpin' of intense caution. He comes across as a me, me, me player which leads me to believe he'd be a poor fit in the Wild room...