The Blue Jackets exchange Pierre-Luc Dubois for Patrick Laine



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Two of the top three picks in the 2016 NHL Draft traded spots on Saturday following a successful contract between Columbus and Winnipeg.

The Blue Jackets sent disgruntled center Pierre-Luc Dubois and a third-round pick to the Jets for right-winger Patrik Laine and center Jack Roslovic, according to multiple reports.

The move comes just 48 hours after Dubois was benched by former Rangers coach John Tortorella in an overtime loss to the Lightning.

The 22-year-old French-Canadian asked for a trade in Columbus ahead of the start of the season this month, following a lengthy negotiation process that led the restricted independent agent to sign a two-year contract of worth $ 5 million.

Dubois, the former third overall pick, led Columbus with 18 goals and 31 assists last year and was the third overall pick in the 2016 draft.

But Dubois only scored one goal in the first five games and looked insane at times, which led to his bench on Thursday. He played less than four minutes, which was well below his average of 17 minutes per game.

“I definitely have to be better,” Dubois told reporters on Friday.

Laine, 22, has been the subject of trade rumors for the past two years, despite an impressive 140 goals in 306 games.

The Finnish native was the second pick in 2016 and is in the second year of a two-year, $ 13.5 million contract.



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