Cheveldayoff 'very excited' with Jets' return in Dubois trade
Winnipeg Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff is beyond satisfied with the haul he pulled in from the trade that sent disgruntled forward Pierre-Luc Dubios to the Los Angeles Kings.
The Jets landed Alex Iafallo, Gabriel Vilardi, Rasmus Kupari, and a 2024-second round pick for Dubois in a blockbuster sign-and-trade Tuesday.
"We're very excited with the pieces we were able to acquire," Cheveldayoff told NHL.com's Derek Van Diest.
He added: "I think we have two younger players that are just starting to come into their own and they have a tremendous amount of ability to grow as hockey players. Especially in Vilardi's situation, where he missed some very important years in the development world. You all know how development takes different shapes and forms, ebbs and flows and curves, and in his particular situation, when you lose those kind of years, it takes some time to grow your game."
All three players should be able to contribute to a retooling Jets lineup next season. Here's a look at the trio's 2022-23 stats:
| Player | Position | Age | Stats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iafallo | C | 29 | 59GP-14G-22A |
| Vilardi | C | 23 | 63GP-23G-18A |
| Kupari | C | 22 | 66GP-3G-12A |
Iafallo is under contract through 2025 at $4 million per season, while Vilardi and Kupari - both former first-round picks of the Kings - are currently restricted free agents.
Dubois' tenure with the Jets was presumed to be nearing an end after he signed a one-year deal last year with the intention of testing the open market in 2024. Earlier this offseason, Dubois' agent told Winnipeg that his client wasn't interested in signing an extension this summer.
Dubois ultimately inked an eight-year, $68-million contract as part of the trade.
The Jets are expected to be among the NHL's busiest teams this offseason. Vezina Trophy nominee Connor Hellebuyck is rumored to be on the block after expressing his intention not to sign a new deal with the club, while longtime core forwards Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler are reportedly available as well as they enter the final year of their contracts.
Winnipeg qualified for the playoffs this past season but was bounced in five games by the Vegas Golden Knights in the first round.