Confirmed with Link: PLD TRADED TO WASHINGTON for Darcy Kuemper

[The Butcher]

If you have to say it to the press and allude to the fact that you've said it multiple times in the room it means it didn't have any impact when you said it in the room.

Jesse, give us the scoop. Do you feel like the locker room was cohesive this season? I know that you have to be careful about what you say but... the players have to have seen what we were seeing with PL, how do any of those guys get ready for war with him eating up that amount of cap space?

 

[All The Kings Men]

Jesse, give us the scoop. Do you feel like the locker room was cohesive this season? I know that you have to be careful about what you say but... the players have to have seen what we were seeing with PL, how do any of those guys get ready for war with him eating up that amount of cap space?

If you haven't seen the Spittin Chiclets conversation about the Darcy Kuemper trade I highly recommend it

watch from an hour 16 minutes and 15 seconds then keep listening til 1:29:25

They talk about San Jose and Goodrow but then cycle back around to LA

I'll echo what Bissonnette said

I never saw any discord or unhappiness in the locker room and I never heard anybody saying anything negative about any specific players

HOWEVER I also sat through all the media availabilities where the coaches, players and front office talked about how the room was so tight and everybody loved each other and it was great and at some point I started to feel like it was too much of that message

Either it was trying too hard to sell that message or (what I think) the message was true but that much unconditional positivity is dangerous and then at the end of the season we heard from Blake and Hiller that it was time to get uncomfortable with the team and that "the desire to win needs to be raised"

And then the Kuemper trade... so... make of all that what you will and remember the great Robert ZImmerman quote

You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows

 

[The Butcher]

If you haven't seen the Spittin Chiclets conversation about the Darcy Kuemper trade I highly recommend it

watch from an hour 16 minutes and 15 seconds then keep listening til 1:29:25

They talk about San Jose and Goodrow but then cycle back around to LA

I'll echo what Bissonnette said

I never saw any discord or unhappiness in the locker room and I never heard anybody saying anything negative about any specific players

HOWEVER I also sat through all the media availabilities where the coaches, players and front office talked about how the room was so tight and everybody loved each other and it was great and at some point I started to feel like it was too much of that message

Either it was trying too hard to sell that message or (what I think) the message was true but that much unconditional positivity is dangerous and then at the end of the season we heard from Blake and Hiller that it was time to get uncomfortable with the team and that "the desire to win needs to be raised"

And then the Kuemper trade... so... make of all that what you will and remember the great Robert ZImmerman quote

You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows

I always appreciate all the candor you can allow.

Thanks, I'll give it a listen!

 

[tny760]

If you haven't seen the Spittin Chiclets conversation about the Darcy Kuemper trade I highly recommend it

watch from an hour 16 minutes and 15 seconds then keep listening til 1:29:25

They talk about San Jose and Goodrow but then cycle back around to LA

I'll echo what Bissonnette said

I never saw any discord or unhappiness in the locker room and I never heard anybody saying anything negative about any specific players

HOWEVER I also sat through all the media availabilities where the coaches, players and front office talked about how the room was so tight and everybody loved each other and it was great and at some point I started to feel like it was too much of that message

Either it was trying too hard to sell that message or (what I think) the message was true but that much unconditional positivity is dangerous and then at the end of the season we heard from Blake and Hiller that it was time to get uncomfortable with the team and that "the desire to win needs to be raised"

And then the Kuemper trade... so... make of all that what you will and remember the great Robert ZImmerman quote

You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows

sorry, no more like button for me

i don't listen to those guys generally so thanks for the timestamps. that's some of the best insight i think i've ever heard from biz

 

[The Butcher]

If you haven't seen the Spittin Chiclets conversation about the Darcy Kuemper trade I highly recommend it

watch from an hour 16 minutes and 15 seconds then keep listening til 1:29:25

They talk about San Jose and Goodrow but then cycle back around to LA

I'll echo what Bissonnette said

I never saw any discord or unhappiness in the locker room and I never heard anybody saying anything negative about any specific players

HOWEVER I also sat through all the media availabilities where the coaches, players and front office talked about how the room was so tight and everybody loved each other and it was great and at some point I started to feel like it was too much of that message

Either it was trying too hard to sell that message or (what I think) the message was true but that much unconditional positivity is dangerous and then at the end of the season we heard from Blake and Hiller that it was time to get uncomfortable with the team and that "the desire to win needs to be raised"

And then the Kuemper trade... so... make of all that what you will and remember the great Robert ZImmerman quote

You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows

"Doesn't love the game"

"Doesn't dig in"

"Reaching for pucks"

"Poor skater"

"Not a bad guy"

Ya, these guys sometimes have some horrific takes but they are two former players who know the game. Spot on.

 

[The Butcher]

sorry, no more like button for me

i don't listen to those guys generally so thanks for the timestamps. that's some of the best insight i think i've ever heard from biz

Are you in HF jail? I was there last summer after someone reported my Mcdavid/Magic Johnson crack.

Lol, such a strange punishment.

 

[Schrute farms]

I never saw any discord or unhappiness in the locker room and I never heard anybody saying anything negative about any specific players

Country....Club

 

[johnjm22]

Capitals GM Brian MacLellan :

"We are thrilled to announce the addition of Pierre-Luc to the Caps organization," MacLellan said of the trade. "This acquisition brings in a talented 25-year-old with immense potential to become a top-tier center in the NHL."

"With his size, exceptional skating, and high hockey IQ, we are confident he will thrive in our organization with increased responsibility and opportunity," MacLellan noted.

Notice the first attribute MacLellan mentions; size.

Another gullible GM who fools himself into liking this player because of attributes and potential.

"Increased responsibility" is exactly what PLD wants I'm sure.

Did MacLellan check to see if PLD actually WANTS to be in Washington? Seems like something you might want to check on considering this player's history.

 

[King'sPawn]

"Doesn't love the game"

"Doesn't dig in"

"Reaching for pucks"

"Poor skater"

"Not a bad guy"

Ya, these guys sometimes have some horrific takes but they are two former players who know the game. Spot on.

Washington: I can change him!

 

[FrozenKing18]

This has got to be the last stop for PLD right? He’s been exiled by 3 teams now in his short career. He needs to show something or no GM is going to touch that contract. But I guess it’s not out of the realm where a dumbass GM gives him yet another shot.

 

[Surf Nutz]

If you have to say it to the press and allude to the fact that you've said it multiple times in the room it means it didn't have any impact when you said it in the room.

Ya I figured Phil's operatives had it miked...

 

[The Butcher]

So the PLD buyout window is officially closed, right? He's suiting up for the Caps next season.

 

[Kingkopitar]

Then you haven't seen far worse players over many years. It might indicate you don't follow other teams rosters closely.

I have seen Dan Cloutier play live.

 

[Statto]

If you haven't seen the Spittin Chiclets conversation about the Darcy Kuemper trade I highly recommend it

watch from an hour 16 minutes and 15 seconds then keep listening til 1:29:25

They talk about San Jose and Goodrow but then cycle back around to LA

I'll echo what Bissonnette said

I never saw any discord or unhappiness in the locker room and I never heard anybody saying anything negative about any specific players

HOWEVER I also sat through all the media availabilities where the coaches, players and front office talked about how the room was so tight and everybody loved each other and it was great and at some point I started to feel like it was too much of that message

Either it was trying too hard to sell that message or (what I think) the message was true but that much unconditional positivity is dangerous and then at the end of the season we heard from Blake and Hiller that it was time to get uncomfortable with the team and that "the desire to win needs to be raised"

And then the Kuemper trade... so... make of all that what you will and remember the great Robert ZImmerman quote

You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows

One of the year when I was very involved with hockey the team absolutely loved each other far too much. They were tight as hell, nobody had a bad word to say about anyone. I’ll include the coach as part of the love in. It’s probably the group I got on best with. BUT…

The team underachieved terribly. The atmosphere stayed perfectly nice and nobody in the room held anyone or the group to account. There were lots of meetings where the right words were said but it was crying out for an a-hole with credibility to haul them over the coals. So I have experienced unconditional positivity and at the end of it a lot of people were cut and the coach was fired. Obviously I have no idea about the Kings but I can see some parallels.

 

[KingsFan7824]

Another gullible GM who fools himself into liking this player because of attributes and potential.

Most teams are one player away from being a better team than they were the previous year. There are so few true difference makers, that the vast majority of GMs are desperately searching for that one guy that could potentially be that guy. Then if that guy comes in and has that career year, you might have a decent team.

The Caps know they're not going anywhere, but they also know they're not going to trade Ovechkin. So they, like the Kings, are throwing whatever at the wall, hoping something clicks. All they had to give up for the potential of Dubois, after probably his worst overall season, was a 34 year old/$5m goalie who had become their backup guy.

Sure, they might end up simply stuck with Dubois's contract, in one way or another, but they don't care about the long term. That's ok. It's not like the Caps are in danger of going out of business. They're not going to ruin their own retirement years. The franchise will be there. There's a thousand years to rebuild. You get one Ovechkin in a lifetime, if you're lucky. If they're giving him a 5yr/$9.5m cap hit contract at 36, that's explicitly saying they're not rebuilding soon. No thought of doing so.

It's not about being fooled. If, for whatever reason, something clicks for Dubois, the attributes and potential would make him, not a true difference maker(because you rarely have to wait for those types), but he's got the talent to make your team better. Which is all the Caps want, because they're not rebuilding.

Even if they bought him out after next season, his worst dead cap hits would be in the most immediate post-Ovechkin years, when the Caps will very likely be completely rebuilding. By the time they're good again, the dead cap is $2m, with the total cap probably higher outside of global catastrophe.

There aren't enough good players for every GM to always be "smart" all the time. If you haven't made a "stupid" move as a GM, just wait, because it's coming. It's part of the job, because you can't trust most players. McDavid, you know he's going to be great. Crosby, you know he's going to be great. 96% of the league though, you're guessing and hoping.

 

[Piston]

Most teams are one player away from being a better team than they were the previous year. There are so few true difference makers, that the vast majority of GMs are desperately searching for that one guy that could potentially be that guy. Then if that guy comes in and has that career year, you might have a decent team.

The Caps know they're not going anywhere, but they also know they're not going to trade Ovechkin. So they, like the Kings, are throwing whatever at the wall, hoping something clicks. All they had to give up for the potential of Dubois, after probably his worst overall season, was a 34 year old/$5m goalie who had become their backup guy.

Sure, they might end up simply stuck with Dubois's contract, in one way or another, but they don't care about the long term. That's ok. It's not like the Caps are in danger of going out of business. They're not going to ruin their own retirement years. The franchise will be there. There's a thousand years to rebuild. You get one Ovechkin in a lifetime, if you're lucky. If they're giving him a 5yr/$9.5m cap hit contract at 36, that's explicitly saying they're not rebuilding soon. No thought of doing so.

It's not about being fooled. If, for whatever reason, something clicks for Dubois, the attributes and potential would make him, not a true difference maker(because you rarely have to wait for those types), but he's got the talent to make your team better. Which is all the Caps want, because they're not rebuilding.

Even if they bought him out after next season, his worst dead cap hits would be in the most immediate post-Ovechkin years, when the Caps will very likely be completely rebuilding. By the time they're good again, the dead cap is $2m, with the total cap probably higher outside of global catastrophe.

There aren't enough good players for every GM to always be "smart" all the time. If you haven't made a "stupid" move as a GM, just wait, because it's coming. It's part of the job, because you can't trust most players. McDavid, you know he's going to be great. Crosby, you know he's going to be great. 96% of the league though, you're guessing and hoping.

This is a great post and captures McLellan's thinking exactly. It's all about Ovechkin the next two seasons, and then all bets are off. If PLD is still the payer he is today, he'll be bought out, no long-term harm done. But, if he assists on just 20 goals for Ovie, the trade will have been a success for the Caps.

 

[johnjm22]

This is a great post and captures McLellan's thinking exactly. It's all about Ovechkin the next two seasons, and then all bets are off. If PLD is still the payer he is today, he'll be bought out, no long-term harm done. But, if he assists on just 20 goals for Ovie, the trade will have been a success for the Caps.

No long term harm?

2026-27 $3,493,333
2027-28 $4,743,333
2028-29 $4,763,333
2029-30 $4,783,333
2030-31 $3,783,333
2031-32 $2,093,333
2032-33 $2,093,333
2033-34 $2,093,333
2034-35 $2,093,333
2035-36 $2,093,333

That's his buyout cap hit it if done after Ovechkin retires.

They'd be trying to rebuild with his contract handicapping them for 10 years.

They could've just bought out Kuemper:
2024-25 $2,166,667
2025-26 $3,666,667
2026-27 $4,416,667
2027-28 $916,667
2028-29 $916,667
2029-30 $916,667

There's plenty of discount UFA's out there that could give you what he does.

Also did you consider the possibility he doesn't want to be there? He's been a little bit picky about that in the past you know.

 

[JJDrums]

While I am glad the PLD failure is over, I am pretty damn curious what the next step is for the Kings.

Blake as mangled the Kings asset pool. Can’t draft quality to save a life. How much longer does BLUC get by ownership before they are turfed? So frustrating

 

[King'sPawn]

No long term harm?

2026-27 $3,493,333
2027-28 $4,743,333
2028-29 $4,763,333
2029-30 $4,783,333
2030-31 $3,783,333
2031-32 $2,093,333
2032-33 $2,093,333
2033-34 $2,093,333
2034-35 $2,093,333
2035-36 $2,093,333

That's his buyout cap hit it if done after Ovechkin retires.

They'd be trying to rebuild with his contract handicapping them for 10 years.

They could've just bought out Kuemper:
2024-25 $2,166,667
2025-26 $3,666,667
2026-27 $4,416,667
2027-28 $916,667
2028-29 $916,667
2029-30 $916,667

There's plenty of discount UFA's out there that could give you what he does.

Also did you consider the possibility he doesn't want to be there? He's been a little bit picky about that in the past you know.

Agreed. If they simply don't care about cap hit, buying out Kuemper would have been wiser. And the $3 million difference in the Kuemper contract + ~$5-6 million on a free agent better than PLD, and they'd be better off in the short and long term

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

This has been the most fragile locker room in the league since Blake took over.

Not much of a surprise given the atmosphere they cultivated as players as well.

Too many echoes of past failures for it to be a coincidence anymore. These guys WANT the culture they had which was a total failure until they left chasing Cups elsewhere. Funny because they’ve seen first hand in LA AND elsewhere what it takes to win but instead they shoot for mediocre and happy.

 

[KingsFan7824]

This is a great post and captures McLellan's thinking exactly. It's all about Ovechkin the next two seasons, and then all bets are off. If PLD is still the payer he is today, he'll be bought out, no long-term harm done. But, if he assists on just 20 goals for Ovie, the trade will have been a success for the Caps.

It's just how pro sports works. And if you win as a player, you get to dictate. If the Caps didn't win in 2018, do the Caps offer him his current contract? Maybe because of the goal record, but he wouldn't be the Cup champ. Same with the Kings. If they don't win in 2012, which means they likely don't win in 2014, Kopitar and Doughty very likely aren't here today. The whole roster would've been different post-2012.

No long term harm?

2026-27 $3,493,333
2027-28 $4,743,333
2028-29 $4,763,333
2029-30 $4,783,333
2030-31 $3,783,333
2031-32 $2,093,333
2032-33 $2,093,333
2033-34 $2,093,333
2034-35 $2,093,333
2035-36 $2,093,333

That's his buyout cap hit it if done after Ovechkin retires.

They'd be trying to rebuild with his contract handicapping them for 10 years.

They could've just bought out Kuemper:
2024-25 $2,166,667
2025-26 $3,666,667
2026-27 $4,416,667
2027-28 $916,667
2028-29 $916,667
2029-30 $916,667

There's plenty of discount UFA's out there that could give you what he does.

Also did you consider the possibility he doesn't want to be there? He's been a little bit picky about that in the past you know.

I feel like we as fans get so caught up in these details, and the actual GMs who have jobs today don't care about this stuff. Depending on what roster you're working with. A team without Ovechkin going for the goals record, they would probably have different intentions. But, any team with an Ovechkin type player, likely isn't trading that guy, or letting him go, unless he expressly wants out. If he wants to hang around, you're going to try to do what's best for him. Even if, in the shorter term, it'll ruin your franchise. Because again, there's not an Ovechkin type player in every draft. He comes around once a decade, and how often do you pick that high?

The Caps aren't trading Ovechkin until at least the 2026 deadline. If you're totally rebuilding, when is the most realistic year when you'll be good again after 2026? 2030? 2031? A couple million in dead cap likely won't kill you. Is it ideal? Of course not, but that'll probably be some other GMs job to deal with. And if Ovechkin gets the goal record in a Caps jersey, for posterity, that's worth something. Nothing real, but those highlights will be sweet. Better than in a Stars jersey or whatever.

 

[BaileyFan]

It's just how pro sports works. And if you win as a player, you get to dictate. If the Caps didn't win in 2018, do the Caps offer him his current contract? Maybe because of the goal record, but he wouldn't be the Cup champ. Same with the Kings. If they don't win in 2012, which means they likely don't win in 2014, Kopitar and Doughty very likely aren't here today. The whole roster would've been different post-2012.



I feel like we as fans get so caught up in these details, and the actual GMs who have jobs today don't care about this stuff. Depending on what roster you're working with. A team without Ovechkin going for the goals record, they would probably have different intentions. But, any team with an Ovechkin type player, likely isn't trading that guy, or letting him go, unless he expressly wants out. If he wants to hang around, you're going to try to do what's best for him. Even if, in the shorter term, it'll ruin your franchise. Because again, there's not an Ovechkin type player in every draft. He comes around once a decade, and how often do you pick that high?

The Caps aren't trading Ovechkin until at least the 2026 deadline. If you're totally rebuilding, when is the most realistic year when you'll be good again after 2026? 2030? 2031? A couple million in dead cap likely won't kill you. Is it ideal? Of course not, but that'll probably be some other GMs job to deal with. And if Ovechkin gets the goal record in a Caps jersey, for posterity, that's worth something. Nothing real, but those highlights will be sweet. Better than in a Stars jersey or whatever.

Except at the end of the day, the Caps on some level believe that they alone can fix him and he is the guy that will push Ovi over the top. Otherwise as people are saying, they could’ve just bought out Kuemper and signed some generic UFA and still saved money and time.

We know that the whole idea that PLD will give them short term gain in exchange for long term pain makes no sense to begin with. It’s the same logic as trading Gaborik for Phaneuf because even though he’s overpaid, Phaneuf is a better option than any generic defenseman out there. Adding him will screw Washington in both the short term and the long term because PLD is not a good player just as Phaneuf was not a good player.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

What made PLD so unique is that his give-a-shit-o-meter was always set to zero. Guy played in cruise control at all times, to the point that you wonder if he even cares to win, or if he even enjoys what he’s doing out there.

This isn’t an integration problem, the guy is simply disengaged, and this has occurred repeatedly throughout his career.

Kovalchuk and Roenick looked like highly competitive players compared to this bum.

 

[Peter James Bond III]

Well. Brian MacLellan is now one of my top 10 alltime King favorites...the best thing he has ever done for them...taking on PLD.

This makes the Kings' offseason so much better and a lot more interesting. And glad this part is done and chapter closed. Yeah, the story goes on, with how Gabe does, how Kuemper does...but a week ago, if you knew that PLD would be gone and no retention, you'd be happy for this part of the story.

To make the next chapter better, the Kings need a few good deals and at least 2 good free assets, via free agency. Even then, that only bandaids the debacle, but what else to we have?

Maybe if PLD had a monster first round, like 3 goals 3 assists, 2 game winner and the Kings win round 1....we are probably not so lucky he's gone. No way, he has a good to great next 7 years.
And, maybe PLD helped in TMAC being gone. Hiller may not be so great, but I think he wil give the youth a chance. I think in order to do that, there should be no mandate: must make playoffs and win round 1. That mandate, will just make him play vets. The mandate should be win and make the youth players part of that.

I have read so many sites and cannot recall where I saw this,.,,maybe Seravelli's X...that it was not just the Caps that had interest! I think 2 others were...I bet any other suitor, wanted retention and the deal that would win (or lose, you don't win a deal by taking PLD) would be a hockey deal and no retention,

 

[AbsentMojo]

Well. Brian MacLellan is now one of my top 10 alltime King favorites...the best thing he has ever done for them...taking on PLD.

This makes the Kings' offseason so much better and a lot more interesting. And glad this part is done and chapter closed. Yeah, the story goes on, with how Gabe does, how Kuemper does...but a week ago, if you knew that PLD would be gone and no retention, you'd be happy for this part of the story.

To make the next chapter better, the Kings need a few good deals and at least 2 good free assets, via free agency. Even then, that only bandaids the debacle, but what else to we have?

Maybe if PLD had a monster first round, like 3 goals 3 assists, 2 game winner and the Kings win round 1....we are probably not so lucky he's gone. No way, he has a good to great next 7 years.
And, maybe PLD helped in TMAC being gone. Hiller may not be so great, but I think he wil give the youth a chance. I think in order to do that, there should be no mandate: must make playoffs and win round 1. That mandate, will just make him play vets. The mandate should be win and make the youth players part of that.

I have read so many sites and cannot recall where I saw this,.,,maybe Servelli's X...that it was not just the Caps that had interest! I think 2 others were...I bet any other suitor, wanted retention and the deal that would win (or lose, you don't win a deal by taking PLD) would be a hockey deal and no retention,

I was just going to post this and see you mentioned it... here it is



What this indicated to me is word around town is that the Kings org is at least as suspect as PLD was in his failure