A former NHL coach gets called out following a controversial statement involving Pierre-Luc Dubois
In recent days, the name Pierre-Luc Dubois has been circulating a lot in Montreal media. Indeed, the 24-year-old forward has declared that he would not sign a new contract with the Jets and that he wanted to be traded soon. The Quebecer has notably confessed several times in the past that he wanted to play for the Canadiens, and many are wondering if Kent Hughes could acquire him in the coming weeks.
Even though the forward just had an excellent season with a haul of 27 goals and 36 assists (63 points) in 73 games, he doesn't seem to be unanimous among Canadiens fans. Moreover, during his appearance on BPM Sports, former NHL head coach, Bob Hartley, made a very controversial statement regarding Pierre-Luc Dubois's potential.
It didn't take long for Bob Hartley to get taken to task in the comments by the fans, and rightly so. Were it not for a minor injury that prevented him from playing nine games, Pierre-Luc Dubois would have likely reached the 70-point plateau. Not bad for a third-line center!
Moreover, the Quebecer finished the year with an average of 0.86 points per game, offensive production that is very similar to several elite players in the NHL such as Sebastian Aho (0.89 point/game), Matthew Barzal (0.88 point/game), Mark Stone (0.88 point/game), Andrei Svechnikov (0.86 point/game), and Mark Scheifele (0.84 point/game). By comparison, Nick Suzuki, who had his best season ever, recorded 66 points in 82 games, giving him an average of 0.80 points per game.
There is no doubt that Pierre-Luc Dubois has the talent and offensive skills necessary to play on the first two lines of a team aspiring to great honors. One thing is certain, his acquisition would greatly benefit the Canadiens' offense.
| POLL | ||
Do you really believe that Pierre-Luc Dubois is a third-line player? | ||
| Yes | 151 | 42.8 % |
| No | 202 | 57.2 % |
| List of polls | ||
