Two of the top three picks in the 2016 NHL draft switched places on Saturday following a blockbuster deal between Columbus and Winnipeg.
The Blue Jackets sent disaffected center Pierre-Luc Dubois and a third-round pick to the Jets for right-wing Patrik Laine and center Jack Roslovic, according to multiple reports.
The move comes just 48 hours after Dubois was put on the bench by former Rangers coach John Tortorella in an overtime loss against the Lightning.
The 22-year-old French Canadian asked Columbus for a trade before the season started this month, after a lengthy negotiation process that resulted in the signing of a two-year deal worth $ 5 million.
Dubois, the former third overall pick, led Columbus last year with 18 goals and 31 assists and was the third overall pick in the 2016 draft.
But Dubois only scored one goal in the first five games and seemed listless at times, leading to his benching on Thursday. He played less than four minutes, which was well below his average of 17 minutes per game.
“I definitely need to get better,” Dubois told reporters on Friday.
22-year-old Laine has been the subject of trade rumors in recent years, despite scoring a whopping 140 goals in 306 games.
The Finnish resident was second choice in 2016 and is in the second year of a two-year $ 13.5 million contract.