BHN Daily: Why Did Pierre-Luc Dubois Bolt Jackets?

So, what exactly is the reason behind Pierre-Luc Dubois bolting from the Columbus Blue Jackets?

Certainly, his former GM would love to know the reasoning because it sounds like he’s just as dumbfounded as everybody else about Dubois essentially shooting his way out of Columbus.

“Once the player and the agent wanted to engage in the talks and we agreed on the length, it was a very easy process,” said Columbus GM Jarmo Kekalainen on negotiations on the last Dubois contract. “There was nothing [tense] about these negotiations and I wish that Pierre-Luc Dubois would tell the truth about why he wanted out. He hasn’t even told me; he hasn’t told his teammates or anybody else. It certainly wasn’t about contract negotiations; I can assure you of that.”

Did he just not like living in Columbus during the season? Was there a problem with head coach John Tortorella, something that it seems both the player and the coach deny is the case?

Did Pierre-Luc Dubois just want a bigger stage to play hockey on than what was possible in Columbus, where the Blue Jackets will always be second place to Ohio State athletics? There’s an argument to be made that he didn’t exactly upgrade with his “stage” going to Winnipeg, though any Canadian city is a major market for an NHL team.

Dubois didn’t really give any legit answers in his chat with Hockey Night in Canada last weekend and instead kept things very vague with Ron MacLean, so it will be interesting if we ever find out exactly what was behind PLD’s discontent.

*The Philadelphia Flyers are in a little bit of trouble early in the season in the East Division and Claude Giroux knows that now is the time to pull out of it. (Philadelphia Inquirer)

*Mike Sullivan has enjoyed a ton of success with the Pittsburgh Penguins in his second shot at an NHL head coaching gig. Our friends at PHN take a look at the philosophy that guides his coaching style with the Pens. (Pittsburgh Hockey Now)

*A rough one for John Chayka, who has been suspended for the entire 2021 NHL season by the NHL after his scouting shenanigans with the Arizona Coyotes. (New York Post)

*Kendall Coyne Schofield joined Anson Carter on his Hockey Culture podcast to talk about being a trailblazer in the world of women’s hockey.

*Time to check on old friend Joakim Nordstrom after he signed with the Calgary Flames in the offseason and is bringing the same gritty, hard-nosed fourth line minutes that he had in Boston over the last couple of seasons. Fearless guy when it comes to blocking shots and giving up his body for team success.

“I felt better as the game went on.”

Joakim Nordstrom talks about his play in Sunday’s game and looks ahead to tomorrow’s game vs. Toronto. pic.twitter.com/12fm1hFgCw

— Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) January 25, 2021

*David Pastrnak is closing in on a return to the Bruins as soon as this weekend after practicing with the whole B’s team without any restrictions on Monday. (Boston Hockey Now)

*Is Curt Schilling’s inflammatory language and political stances going to cost him his rightful spot in the Baseball Hall of Fame? I covered the Big Schill and he wasn’t somebody I’d say I was a terribly big fan of personally, but there’s no doubt on the field he was a Hall of Famer. The bloody sock moment in the playoffs is as iconic as it gets. (Boston.com)