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Columbus Blue Jackets: Does Pierre-Luc Dubois have a shot at the Calder?

By Preston Byers

COLUMBUS, OH - NOVEMBER 22: Pierre-Luc Dubois #18 of the Columbus Blue Jackets skates against the Calgary Flames on November 22, 2017 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/NHLI via Getty Images)
COLUMBUS, OH - NOVEMBER 22: Pierre-Luc Dubois #18 of the Columbus Blue Jackets skates against the Calgary Flames on November 22, 2017 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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One of the best things about this season for the Columbus Blue Jackets has been the play of 19-year-old Pierre-Luc Dubois. But does he have a shot at the Calder Trophy?

Pierre-Luc Dubois has played very well for the Columbus Blue Jackets through the first quarter of the 2017-18 season. In 28 games, PLD has 11 points (4 goals, 7 assists), a 60.8% CF on even-strength and a 6.8 expected plus-minus.

Although these are great stats for a guy that’s not even 20 years old, it isn’t good enough to say he’s in the Calder Trophy race. That’s not to say he can’t be by the end of the year, but right now, there’s too many youngsters in front of him.

The likes of Mathew Barzal, Nico Hischier, Brock Boeser and more have had great rookie seasons to this point. And they have had much better (at least statistically) seasons than Dubois. PLD has had a great advanced statistic season, but not in the major stats like points.

That should be expected, though. The Blue Jackets don’t rely on PLD to score points like the Islanders do with Barzal and the Canucks do with Boeser. Players like Artemi Panarin and Cam Atkinson are much more of the scoring types, and the CBJ front office and coaching staff knows that.

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Does it really matter?

All in all, it doesn’t really matter whether PLD is a Calder candidate now or at the end of the season. He’s a stud and has looked like a great pick by Jarmo Kekalainen and crew. It’s not a big deal at all if heh doesn’t get an individual award as long as he keeps improving and playing as a team player like he’s shown he can be.

Dubois has been great at so many aspects of the game that we should just be thankful that we have yet another great young player to compliment the likes of Zach Werenski, Seth Jones and even Artemi Panarin since I wouldn’t consider him old.

The future is bright for the Columbus Blue Jackets, even if we don’t get a Calder Trophy winner anytime soon.

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