Columbus Blue Jackets - Fantasy News

NHL DFS Picks: Should I Start Pierre-Luc Dubois?

by Jeff Gordon

1/10/18

NHL

Columbus Blue Jackets

Pierre-Luc Dubois

Back in training camp, Columbus Blue Jackets head coach John Tortorella doubted that rookie Pierre-Luc Dubois could fill the team's No. 3 center void.

After all, Dubois appeared completely overwhelmed during camp in 2016 before returning to junior hockey for more seasoning. That raised doubts that Columbus picked the right player third overall in the 2016 NHL Draft, since Dubois did not produce outrageous numbers (55 points in 48 games) back in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League during his final season there.

“I was going to ease him in, keep him at wing," Tortorella recalled during a conversation with reporters in Toronto. "We had discussions during the summer just worried about too much responsibility at the center-ice position for a young kid."

Dubois started slowly this season, scoring one goal and earning no assists in his first 12 games. But in November he moved up to drive the No. 1 line when injuries decimated the Blue Jackets lineup.

After making that shift he scored eight goals and dished 10 assists in his next 24 games. He has scored a team-high seven power-play points since the start of December, so there is room for continued growth there if the Blue Jackets can improve with the man advantage.

His shot rate has increased with his promotion; he put 39 shots on goal during a 14-game stretch. His strong all-around game allows him to build good peripheral statistics, too. During a 24-game span, he delivered 41 hits, blocked 17 shots and earned 11 takeaways.

That multi-category success has paid off in Dober Fantasy Games. During that 24-game stretch, he topped his Projected Fantasy Points total 14 times — even though his PFP jumped from 4.0 to as high as 6.5 during that surge.

Dubois is not a flashy offensive player, but his gritty play is a great fit with creative winger Artemi Panarin, who scored 20 points during a 19-game surge, and power forward Josh Anderson.

“I always say you have to learn on the fly in this league, and he has done a great job of that," Blue Jackets captain Nick Foligno said of Dubois. "He’s very intuitive and asks a lot of questions. He’s a big body, skates well and holds onto pucks. When he does that for us, he’s a dangerous player.”

Don't feel bad if you have overlooked Dubois as a fantasy asset. Tortorella did not see this offensive production coming either.

“We think we’re smart — the coaches, the managers. We have all these ideas about developing players and worry about too much,” Tortorella told reporters. “He has blown us away as far as how he has handled the situation. He has grabbed a hold of it and wants more.”

Playmaking center Alexander Wennberg is injured, as is reliable two-way pivot Brandon Dubinsky. So Dubois should keep his primary offensive role even if he cools down for a stretch.

“If it starts mounting on him, that’s where I have to maybe look at things differently," Tortorella told reporters after the Blue Jackets played the Pittsburgh Penguins. "But I’m not thinking that way. I’m excited about the opportunities he’s going to have. It doesn’t bother him. He just plays.

“As I’ve always said, sometimes innocence is a pretty good thing. You talk about all this experience, and this and that. This is a nice thing, and I think it allows you to have some swagger.”

So keep starting Dubois until further notice.