Really? Where did you pick up all this negative spin on Dubois? Was it your own, acquired after hearing it from some there person?
1) Tortorella was humiliating and shaming Dubois publicly. PLD wasn't the first not to buy into such treatment and, IMHO, rightfully so.
Ironically, St-Louis is a big fan of Torts, although it's not clear he's a big fan of his entire approach, especially when it comes to calling out players publicly?
I can understand Dubois asking for a trade away from Columbus. There's no reason why he should have shut his hole and endured Tortorella's treatment.
2) Prior to Winnipeg trading Laine and Roslovic to Columbus in order to acquire Dubois, the player let WIN know, privately, that he would not be signing past his RFA years with the team.
Yet, like in most relationships, WIN wrongly considered they could change Dubois' mind, likely because his Dad was associated with the team?
3) WIN made it public that Dubois was not interested in signing with them beyond his RFA years, not Dubois, when they publicly offered him a long term contract. Dubois only stuck to his guns and what he had privately shared with WIN before the trade.
4) Yes, Brisson publicly said that Dubois would one day like to play for Montreal, but he was responding to a direct question and the player was not signed to a deal with WIN at the time. While he was restricted as such, he was, nonetheless, a Free Agent until he had signed a new contract with WIN. The NHL never questioned Brisson's statements regarding either their legal or ethical nature.
5) Without holding out on the team, Dubois didn't bend WIN over a barrel in trying to negotiate a particularly lucrative 1 yr deal with the team. He accepted a standard qualifying offer and did not take the team to arbitration either. Talking a one-year deal was risky for the player in case of serious injury, but it fairly offered more avenues for WIN to move Dubois before he became an UFA.
6) With a signed contract, publicly, he refused to field questions about his future as an UFA and downplayed all the hype surrounding Montreal as a clear destination for him, preferring to keep the focus on the team and their attempt to make the playoffs and have a long push once in the postseason.
I'd argue that Dubois has rather been nothing but professional with WIN and that their Gm mishandled the situation from the get-go when he went through with the trade.
7) The disappearing act down the stretch is not limited to Dubois' offensive production. It seems widespread, where a team filled with talented players is poorly looking for answers through individualistic play.
Only Morrissey hs maintained a PPG pace over the last ten games. Every other marquis player has taken a hit in production.
While, as always, some of the blame oies with the players, including Dubois, the coaching staff also appears at loss for answers.
It has also been rumoured that Dubois is plying through an injury to try and help the team stay within playoff contention.
Dubois is no saint, I'm sure and, no, he isn't a saviour, by any means, and that shouldn't be the litmus test he is measured by either.
However, Dubois' profile is one sought after by every GM in the league for a 2nd line, two-way C that brings physicality and skill tot he table.
Even the Oilers would take aa Dubois as a 2nd line C, if only in order to play Draisaitl with Mc Jesus regularly and, possibly, to play Nugent-Hiopkins on wing with the second line, or to use him as a 3rd line C.
Dubois is a desirable asset league wide, and not just in Montreal because of the francophone ring to his name and the francophone roots in the province.
Fans are entitled to dislike the player, but I have yet to hear a good narrative explaining why the addition of Dubois would be bad for the team.
