Dubois

[Schmooley]

Its time for his own thread. Is he playing injured? He may be the worst player on the team on a nightly basis.
Moverare came in and has made more of an impact.
The contract isnt going to play out well. Maybe trade him while they can for another recent acquisition that hasnt panned out like Meier or Huberdeau…
Losing Faber and Vilardi for Fiala and Dubois is a real loss for the Kings.

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[ru4reals]

PLD was the product of Connor and Scheifele. This contract looks horrific already. I'm one who always preaches patience but man my patience is really getting tested. He's just not doing anything at all most nights. Even Laferriere looks better almost every game.

 

[The Butcher]

Its time for his own thread. Is he playing injured? He may be the worst player on the team on a nightly basis.
Moverare came in and has made more of an impact.
The contract isnt going to play out well. Maybe trade him while they can for another recent acquisition that hasnt panned out like Meier or Huberdeau…
Losing Faber and Vilardi for Fiala and Dubois is a real loss for the Kings.

Faber, Vilardi, Iafallo, Kupari, a first, and a second.

Fiala doesn't worry me as much. He brings something to the team that nobody else has and he's a gamer. I never question his heart or his talent, it's his discipline and game smarts that's the issue.

I saw PLD make some really strong plays along the boards early on that reminded me of Jason Allison but to be honest he's been very frustrating to watch most nights considering the cap hit and assets he's cost us. I really hope that his play is due to an injury that he's working hard to fix because this is no doubt Blake's defining move. Either he's going to work and bring the team success or I am definitely back to beating the drum to fire Rob Blake.

I don't think here's any way the Kings are going anywhere this spring with PL playing like this.

 

[tbrown33]

never liked the deal and my worst fears are being realized. 3 more points for Gabe tonight.

 

[Schmooley]

Faber, Vilardi, Iafallo, Kupari, a first, and a second.

Fiala doesn't worry me as much. He brings something to the team that nobody else has and he's a gamer. I never question his heart or his talent, it's his discipline and game smarts that's the issue.

I saw PLD make some really strong plays along the boards early on that reminded me of Jason Allison but to be honest he's been very frustrating to watch most nights considering the cap hit and assets he's cost us. I really hope that his play is due to an injury that he's working hard to fix because this is no doubt Blake's defining move. Either he's going to work and bring the team success or I am definitely back to beating the drum to fire Rob Blake.

I don't think here's any way the Kings are going anywhere this spring with PL playing like this.

Fiala is nowhere near as bad. He just has a lot of issues that are questionable on a winning team. But hes a great player.
Dubois is walking that line where soon hes going to be a detriment to the team when hes on the ice.

 

[Seattle King]

Total fraud.
This is the unforced error that will cost Blake in the end.

 

[BigBrown]

It's the Lucic trade if Lucic had signed his extension with the Kings instead of the Oilers. Trade him at all costs before his NMC kicks in.

 

[kilowatt]

At what point do we consider shifting him to wing and hoping Byfield can take over at center?

Fiala - Kopitar - Kempe
Moore - Byfield - Kaliyev
Dubois - Danault - Laferriere

Or call up Turcotte and hope he can take over as 3C:

Byfield - Kopitar - Kempe
Dubois - Danault - Fiala
Moore - Turcotte - Kaliyev

And here’s what we could’ve been:

Fiala - Kopitar - Kempe
Moore - Byfield - Vilardi
Iafallo - Danault - Kaliyev

 

[Chazz Reinhold]

As someone who initially recoiled at the idea of trading for Dubois but then came around to the idea based on having strong center depth, the thought of watching Dubois for seven-and-a-half more years is utterly depressing. His lack of effort is insulting to anyone taking time to watch the games and support the team.

It'd be nice if our local media members would ask Todd or Rob how they feel about Dubois' complete lack of engagement, though I won't hold my breath.

 

[SettlementRichie10]

Such a needless, stupid acquisition. I said at the time it would either vault the Kings into another level or accelerate Blake’s tenure as GM. So much risk for not much reward.

Blake, like Todd, just can’t get out of his own way sometimes. Cap dump Iafallo and Kupari, yes. Re-sign Gavrikov, obviously. Send away Durzi and Walker to make way for Spence, absolutely. All of these would’ve improved the team this year.

But Blake just couldn’t resist pretending to be smartest man in the room and springing for a nobody like PLD.

For all of the Fiala complaints, at least he’s super productive. PLD may be outscored by Iafallo alone this season. Meanwhile, Vilardi is looking like a bonafide star.

This team will never win anything under the short bus trifecta of Blake, Luc, and Todd.

 

[Chazz Reinhold]

Such a needless, stupid acquisition. I said at the time it would either vault the Kings into another level or accelerate Blake’s tenure as GM. So much risk for not much reward.

Blake, like Todd, just can’t get out of his own way sometimes. Cap dump Iafallo and Kupari, yes. Re-sign Gavrikov, obviously. Send away Durzi and Walker to make way for Spence, absolutely. All of these would’ve improved the team this year.

But Blake just couldn’t resist pretending to be smartest man in the room and springing for a nobody like PLD.

For all of the Fiala complaints, at least he’s super productive. PLD may be outscored by Iafallo alone this season. Meanwhile, Vilardi is looking like a bonafide star.

This team will never win anything under the short bus trifecta of Blake, Luc, and Todd.

Fiala also tries. He does some dumb stuff but it’s hard to blame it on lack of effort.

 

[Bandit]

Don't worry, he just needs 25 games 40 games 3 years and he'll be AMAZING!

 

[ZJames]

It's the Lucic trade if Lucic had signed his extension with the Kings instead of the Oilers. Trade him at all costs before his NMC kicks in.

I think this is far worse than the Lucic trade. At least Lucic was somewhat productive. He did have 20 goals and 55 points that season. They need to ship Dubois down the river. Too bad you can't cut players like they do in the NFL. I'd rather have Turcotte.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Lucic was almost twice as productive as PLD.

I was mad when I thought guys would hit their career averages, so gabe hitting the over so hard and PLD hitting the under so hard helped me find a new gear

The real problem is the job security of everyone in this org.

How can a franchise that has drafted so many Cs and trade for others have such a problem at C?

 

[Rick Knickleback]

Trade him. There's got to be a way. Clock is ticking on the NMC.

 

[Statto]

Guys I’m not disagreeing with anything in here at this point but… does it need a new thread? Every GDT is the same, it’s just ‘cut and paste’. I’ve actually stopped coming on here so much as it’s getting tedious. At least it’s not ‘Byfield is a bust’ for a change although if we give it a couple of games it might start again. At least we are winning atm, losing would bring a few professional complainers back that go silent when things are good. Everyone is s depressingly negative, even when we win the GDT is as though we were getting hammered until the last few minutes.

Just chill guys and focus on the good stuff a bit more… just a bit.

 

[KINGS17]

Vilardi has his health issues, but man he is a slick passer and has deadly hands around the net.

Right now he is a 16-minute, point per game player that is a plus 10 in just 16 games with Winnipeg. No doubt he will cool off a bit, but Blake has a bleeding orifice from that trade.

One of the best things for Winnipeg, his six goals have all come at even strength. Just wait until he gets some PP time in front of the net, which is one of the places the Kings should have used him more often.

 

[Schmooley]

Guys I’m not disagreeing with anything in here at this point but… does it need a new thread? Every GDT is the same, it’s just ‘cut and paste’. I’ve actually stopped coming on here so much as it’s getting tedious. At least it’s not ‘Byfield is a bust’ for a change although if we give it a couple of games it might start again. At least we are winning atm, losing would bring a few professional complainers back that go silent when things are good. Everyone is s depressingly negative, even when we win the GDT is as though we were getting hammered until the last few minutes.

Just chill guys and focus on the good stuff a bit more… just a bit.

It needed a thread so it doesnt have to be in the game day threads. Let it all out in here.
There is nothing negative about saying Dubois was not worth the assets given up and is not worth the contract he will be receiving long term.
It is just the truth. You enjoy watching him play? If he doesnt get it together Todds gonna have to scratch him.

 

[ZJames]

Trade him. There's got to be a way. Clock is ticking on the NMC.

This is where it gets difficult. Who would even take him? How many draft picks would we need to include to dump him? I know I wouldn't want 8 years of that contract. This really feels like an untradeable contract.

Blake (and us, unfortunately), are going to have to live the the consequences of his actions.

 

[jgs]

Man, Vilardi is really on Fire with The Jets 5 goals, 5 assists in 4 games. I said it even before the trade for PLD that he is a big problem child. He acts like he is some superstar who gets to pick where and when he wants to play and he is nowhere near that. He quit on the Blue Jackets, played subpar with the Jets and the Blake brings him to the Kings where he is doing absolutely nothing. The writing is on the wall. He is just with the Kings to draw that big contract, as far as production, he doesn't care about that. It is seen by how he plays, no drive, no emotion, he just is out there to take a skate.

 

[King'sPawn]

The options are:
- hope PLD's play improves
- if not, Blake has an option to buy him out this first year
- if not, his NMC and then the Kings won't have any options without approval from PLD

Frankly, I think all of us are just hoping he plays better. It will be much easier that way.

 

[Johnny Utah]

10 games for PLD and no points? Wow.

First off the Kings and even the beat writers were all saying this summer who is going to play center - can't have Lizotte as the 3C. Especially because of his size.

Well, isn't this managements fault? They drafted Vilardi, Kupari, Turcotte, Byfield and Hughes. None of them are playing center in the NHL. Three of them are playing wing (two of them for another team) and one is in the AHL.

Second point, if the Kings didn't think Lizotte could cut it as the 3C - which is obvious and they wanted a stop cap between when Kopitar's next years expires and Byfield takes over the 1C then sign RR or Bjugstad as the 3C for a 2-3 year deal.

Kopitar, Danault, RR/Bjugstad, Lizotte down the middle is just fine. Eventually, Turcotte or Helenius could slide in there as the 4C or push someone out.

The third line could have have Fiala-Bjugstad-Vilardi or Fiala-Ryan O'Reilly-Vilardi.

BTW, both RR and Bjugstad have more points than PLD. Look it up.

 

[BigBrown]

This is where it gets difficult. Who would even take him? How many draft picks would we need to include to dump him? I know I wouldn't want 8 years of that contract. This really feels like an untradeable contract.

Blake (and us, unfortunately), are going to have to live the the consequences of his actions.

I think some team still might be enticed by his promise as a big guy and that one playoff series he had way back where he played great. Some team must think they can fix him. The Kings will probably have to eat some other crappy contract back and maybe toss in a sweetener but you have to consider it at this point.

 

[fivehole32]

i am a generally positive person and don't jump to the negative right away, however I have tried to find positives in his game and thus far found none. Danault was impactfully right away on both sides of the puck. I see a lot of PLD stickhandles over the blue line and turns the puck over plays and not much else.

Really reminds me of the late 90's early 2000's trade deadline acquisitions that never amounted to anything, except PLD's contract doesn't end at the end of the year. Hoping for the best, but ......

 

[LAKings88]

People act like Fiala wasn't almost a 100 point player last year. The dude has warts but is also a game breaker and needed element on the Kings. How quickly we forget the trouble this team has had generating offense in the past.

Dubois has just become an easy whipping boy. I can't remember a player that has had so much hate. I still think he is a good player. I still think it will take time to evaluate that trade.

Iaffalo and Kupari were gone either way imho. Vilardi was painful not gonna lie. I do think PLD can play a more physical game than Gabe but Gabe was a joy to watch once he figured it out. I still think there is more to that move than we are privy too.

I think LA is really missing Arvidsson this year, even with the decent record.