Eric Dubois finally gets called up to NHL

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This article was published 22/02/2023 (977 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

NEW YORK — It’s been two decades since Eric Dubois last suited up for game action, finishing his on-ice career with the Sorel Royaux of the now-defunct Quebec Semi-Pro Hockey League.

The 52-year-old admits there was plenty of excitement last week when he got the call that never came during his playing days — he was heading to the NHL. Dubois was the latest member of the Manitoba Moose to get a promotion, filling in for Winnipeg Jets assistant coach Brad Lauer who is battling a herniated disc in his back.

“We’re no different than the players. Our end goal is to end up in the NHL,” Dubois said Wednesday morning in a chat with the Free Press at UBS Arena.

Dubois had just returned from a road trip with the Moose when he learned from Jets coach Rick Bowness services were required. His first assignment? A Feb. 14 home game against the Seattle Kraken. Which, as he described with a laugh, led to a bit of an awkward moment.

“We had a Valentine’s reservation at Southwood Country Club for dinner,” Dubois said. “I think I made a joke to Rick, saying ‘Let me ask my wife first.’”

She gave him the green light, of course. And after a 4-2 Winnipeg victory, he was on the charter the next morning for a four-game road trip which began in Columbus and then shifted to the New York area for three more tilts.

Bowness said it’s been a smooth transition, which is a testament to the symmetry between the two hockey clubs.

“Eric has done a great job for us. He’s been really good,” he said.

Unlike with the Moose, Dubois hasn’t been on the bench for the Jets. Instead, he’s up in the press box, the so-called “eye in the sky” who has constant communication during the game with Bowness and the rest of the coaching staff, including Scott Arniel and Marty Johnston. His role is to do the pre-scouting of each opponent, which involves going through video and cutting up clips that are ultimately presented to the players. He also helps make adjustments on the fly during game action based on what he’s seeing from above.

“For seven years now (with the Moose) it’s been PK, defencemen and D-zone coverage. Now you gotta do an overview of everything, make comments during the TV timeout. And pay attention to all three zone,” Dubois said of the additional responsibilities.

“Not just the defencemen but the forwards as well. Try to make corrections as quick as possible. In between periods you come down and only have a few minutes to talk to the coaches. So I think for me it was good, just to see the game from a different angle, and focusing on different things.”

It also helps to have a longstanding relationship with Johnston, who was a Moose assistant for the last five years prior to getting hired by the Jets to round out Bowness’ staff.

“The advantage for me doing the video here is I know what Marty wants. So I know how he likes to present things, I know what he’s looking for,” said Dubois.

Another perk to the promotion is getting to spend some bonus time with his son, Jets centre Pierre-Luc.

“I think that will be a good part of that, 10 or 20 years down the road, that we got to (have) a couple of weeks or 10 days or a week (together with the Jets),” said Dubois. “I try to stay away from him as much as possible. I’m not here as a dad, I’m here as a coach. But at the end of the day, it’s still fun to be around.”

There’s been no shortage of players shuffling between the Jets and Moose this year. Axel Jonsson-Fjallby became the latest this week, called up after Cole Perfetti went down with injury. Kevin Stenlund, Jansen Harkins, Kristian Reichel, Dominic Toninato, Ville Heinola and Arvid Holm are the others who have worn both jerseys.

“I would say the last two or three years, the team culture, our dressing room has been really, really strong and very easy to acclimate. They’re very welcoming,” Dubois said of what he’s seen when guys get called up, then come back down.

“They know those guys are disappointed, they know they want to go back to the NHL. We have a really good group of guys who ease those things when guys are sent down. It helps when you feel like you’re part of something and nobody is judging you, it makes it easy for those guys. Of course, they’re disappointed but all in all, that dressing room is really good for them.”

Now Dubois will have his own call-up story to share.

“To have a little taste of it and help the organization… you know, I was hired to help the Jets. At the end of the day, whether it was with the Moose or the Jets, I still need to help that team and this organization in whatever role they’re asking me to do,” he said.

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @mikemcintyrewpg