Pierre-Luc Dubois of the Blue Jackets celebrates his overtime goal against the Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 27, 2018. Credit: Jim McIsaac
When Columbus coach John Tortorella benched his first-line center, Pierre-Luc Dubois, for two-plus periods in the Blue Jackets’ 3-2 overtime loss to Tampa Bay Thursday night, it essentially forced the issue for Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen. The situation had become toxic, and Kekalainen had to get rid of Dubois immediately.
The 6-3, 219-pound Dubois would have looked mighty good in a Rangers uniform, and the Rangers did inquire about him. Rangers president John Davidson had been president of the Blue Jackets, of course, and certainly knew Dubois well.