Confirmed with Link: Trade: Pierre-Luc Dubois to Washington for Darcy Kuemper… the trade is one for one

[Rayquaza64]

Make no mistake folks, both the Kings and Caps are eating a shit sandwich here.

I've always had a soft spot for Ovi and the Caps and I'm sad you have to be the next group of people to discover what a colossal disaster PLD is.

I really hope the trade gets both teams in the right direction but I don't think either of our front offices deserve to have jobs.

well, if the trade blows up for either team they will indeed likely out of a job so

 

[The Butcher]

well, if the trade blows up for either team they will indeed likely out of a job so

Let's all hold hands and pray.

 

[Calicaps]

If you read between the lines, I think this interview is pretty telling of why LAK moved on from him. He clearly was not meshing with the coaches and systems. It may be that the strengths of his game just aren't suited for the way the Kings wanted to play. It was a bad fit and he either wasn't able to adjust his play or didn't want to, which would explain why he kept getting moved around and demoted in the lineup. The Kings probably decided that the marriage wasn't ever likely going to work and he had to be moved now before the NTC kicked in.

I just don't get a locker room cancer vibe from him at all. He seems more like a young guy who has bounced around a lot and is in an uncomfortable situation that he hasn't been able to figure out. Those were some pretty pointed questions he was getting, and I guess that's to be expected with the size of his contract. He did a good job staying humble, but it was clear that he had no idea how to fix his game to fit in better with the team.

We've been shown some videos of him looking listless on a shift, that are often cited as evidence of laziness or apathy, I actually saw a player who was being cautious and hesitant because he was having to think too much about how to play in the system. Maybe Kings fans are right, and it was an effort problem, but it could just as easily be that he was struggling to find a comfort area where he could contribute. This has some similarities to the Jagr situation when he came to DC.

I think the question needs to be asked, how much of the blame goes to the organization and how much goes to the player? Did the LAK just grossly miscalculate how he would fit or is he just being stubborn and lazy? Will he have success in DC with our coaching staff, players, and the system they play? It's no secret that we have a good culture in the locker room and Carbery is a real player's coach, the polar opposite of Tortorella. Our style of play still leans more towards defense first, but It's not as defensively demanding on the centers as the Kings. From seeing this interview, he is almost begging someone to take him under the wing and provide leadership and direction so he can have success. Can the Caps do that and turn around another reclaimation project or is this just fools gold?

I'm not going to predict the future, but there are enough hopeful signs here that maybe this won't turn out as badly as a lot of people have speculated. It's still a big gamble, but maybe the odds of success aren't quite as bad as we thought.

I had a similar feeling about the interview. More sad and bewildered than indignant or arrogant. One thing I recall hearing from the Caps last year was that Carbs tweaked the system midstream to be more defense-first because the roster lacked the offensive talent to execute the system he started out hoping to play. So I'm inclined to think that they might try again to play that more attacking system if they have guys who can pull it off. In which case, this move might be just what the doctor ordered for both coach and player. Obviously it's all tbd, but I have some hope.

 

[Cappy76]

The only thing BM has committed to is saddling this team with another albatross of a contract. If you actually followed along I’ve never clamored for him to do something stupid. I’ve asked for a legitimately talented player. Not a reclamation project. Especially not one who was run off of 4 teams in 7 years with a notorious contract.

This doesn't match up to this:

So you’re REALLY going to argue that a 54G/97PT player is more risky than a 16G/40PT? Yeah I’ll put my chips on a player who has actually accomplished that maintaining a high level of play vs hoping someone finally reaches their potential in year 8 after never showing they can do so lol.

You're wanting to give a 7 year 10+ mil contract to someone that had everything line up perfectly.
Reinhart has hit 33 goals as a high prior to this season where he lined up in FLA in a contract year and feasted on the PP. His S% was unsustainably high this past year. You want us to believe that he's now a 100 pt player even though this year was only the 2nd time he's been a Ppg player. All the numbers for Reinhart scream regression every single one. But let's sign him to a contract worth more than the one you're bitching about in Dubois. Reinhart regresses back to his career norms and you're paying 10+ million for a 60-70 point guy.

In the same breath you're arguing that Dubois is a 40pt guy when every year other than this last one he's been a decent bet for 55-60. It's not far fetched that he comes to Washington and Carbery can pull at least that player out of him. Could he come in and bomb sure it could happen, but my scenario could also just as easily play out.

Seems to me like you need to look past just this last season which is all you're basing your statistics on.

 

[Langway]

I'm not going to predict the future, but there are enough hopeful signs here that maybe this won't turn out as badly as a lot of people have speculated. It's still a big gamble, but maybe the odds of success aren't quite as bad as we thought.

I think the big issue for me is he's never been a big defense guy and you're presumably lining him up alongside Ovechkin? And thinking that's not just going to work the best for both parties and the team but be what helps elevates him into a top tier center? Very dicey proposition. For a bigger C like that to never be a PKer in his career to this point also sets off some alarms.

I can get the logic in isolation and in terms of the overall center marketplace...much less so when it comes to fit beyond merely being a generally capable young-ish top six center. It's not the first time they've acted as a second and third chance to struggling younger players. Take what's available but...it's an awkward inclination for that seemingly be the primary quality to seek in players. They've needed to get younger, sure, but not uncategorically.

Youth is great but they also need leaders and there's little on PLD's resume suggesting he'll be leadership material. Over time maybe it happens but it will be a cinderella story if so. We'll see to what extent he's capable of putting it all together, gaining confidence and feeding off of it but it seems like an extreme stretch to expect him to come in and be someone he's never been before. Opportunity only takes a player so far.

Also PLD mentions struggling his first year in Winnipeg as well so you wonder if change itself may require an extended adjustment period. It's an odd sort of gamble to readily make. I definitely wonder if they can continue opting for mostly generic youth over options that may have less upside to realize but provide greater maturity, stability and consistency. I don't think sacrificing the later for the former is that great a strategy given some of their more glaring core weaknesses. If this ends up being their biggest move--and it's hard to believe they'll sign someone to an AVV larger than PLD's--then it's hard to say they're all that more formidable. It's a pure gamble. One more likely to pan out offensively if I had to guess but even then it's hard to say if they've got the ideal linemates. Such a thin recipe for production all-around is definitely risky.

 

[Cappy76]

I'm not sure PLD should be a lock to play with Ovie. We saw routinely last year that Strome and Ovie meshed well. Plug PLD as our new 2nd line C and give him PP1 time could be a solid recipe for success.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Not run off, traded so he could spend the last years of his career playing for quality teams instead of playing for a team that had zero chance at contending, while we get some pieces so we can shortcut the rebuild a bit and I never mentioned trading him to a rival either. Some serious straw manning there.

He didn’t want that…..he wanted to be here. Now what in your master plan?

Being the dipshit who traded an all time great isn’t a title anyone wants. Ask Peter Pocklington.

 

[Holtbyisms]

I'm ordering my PLD jersey now, was just waiting for the number to be official. I'm going on record to become the first PLD apologist around here!

 

[Random schmoe]

Fun things I checked earlier. Prior to this season, Reinhart was .723 points per game (9 seasons), Dubois was .695 (6 seasons). Over an 82 game schedule, that came out to 2 a point difference between them. They each had 3 seasons with 60 or more points.

Reinhart of course had a career high shooting percentage, by a LOT. At his previous career average, with the number of shots he took in 2023-24, he'd have scored 33 goals.

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

I'm ordering my PLD jersey now, was just waiting for the number to be official. I'm going on record to become the first PLD apologist around here!

I saw hes going to wear #80

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

I saw hes going to wear #80

He’d be the first Cap ever to….

 

[bacchist]

I'm not sure PLD should be a lock to play with Ovie. We saw routinely last year that Strome and Ovie meshed well. Plug PLD as our new 2nd line C and give him PP1 time could be a solid recipe for success.

I hate to say it, but I feel like sticking him with Ovie would be setting him up for failure.

 

[Bananas]

They need to tank a few seasons and deal with it. This overpaid floater should help nicely with that cause. If not, he’s raising his trade value.

We seem to be on a collision course with prolonged mediocrity. It’s the worst way to be…

 

[Hivemind]

I hate to say it, but I feel like sticking him with Ovie would be setting him up for failure.

Is having him play with Sonny Milano and, say, Protas (or the ghost of TJ Oshie) going to do PLD any more favors?

 

[bacchist]

Is having him play with Sonny Milano and, say, Protas (or the ghost of TJ Oshie) going to do PLD any more favors?

Yeah, I think he'd do better in that situation.

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

Lappy was our best player in the Rangers series and if we do move him to wing whoever plays with him will have the benefit of his quickness and game breaking skills.

Also I think CMM could be a high end 3C. There is no reason he cannot be better then Lars Eller who was viewed as a top 3C in his prime.

 

[dreadpirateroberts]

I'm curious to see whether Ovi and Dubois end up on the same line. It seems like it would be a defensive disaster

 

[Kalopsia]

Is having him play with Sonny Milano and, say, Protas (or the ghost of TJ Oshie) going to do PLD any more favors?

When I was watching the video of PLD's goals, it seemed like his big strength was kinda getting lost in the shuffle and finding the soft spot in the defense. Protas's standout skill to me is his vision to find that guy the defense has lost track of and get him the puck. I think those two would work together really well.

 

[Holtbyisms]

So I took the time today watch a lot of PLD highlights. I love that he scores so many goals within 5-10 feet of the net. Lots of dirty goals on rebounds or second-third attempts. Say what you will about his effort levels but the guy is always in front and around the net. He's got a wicked and very accurate wrist shot and a nice one timer when he gets time to wind up for it on the PP. (Can't get it off quick enough without time and space because it's a huge lumbering wind up) He's also got that Oshie hand eye thing going on. Lots of tips on point shots. Don't see him doing a ton of carrying the puck up the ice but he does a good job keeping possession in the offensive zone and understands where to go to help continue an effective cycle. He's got good hockey IQ, you can tell he's a coaches son, finds soft spots in the middle of chaos and for as big as he is can get lost/free really well. It's not all doom and gloom. He's got a boatload of talent to work with.

 

[Holtbyisms]

When I was watching the video of PLD's goals, it seemed like his big strength was kinda getting lost in the shuffle and finding the soft spot in the defense. Protas's standout skill to me is his vision to find that guy the defense has lost track of and get him the puck. I think those two would work together really well.

Crazy, I just posted similar. He really does an amazing job vanishing near the net and resurfacing suddenly for great scoring chances even though he's often the biggest guy on the ice. That speaks volumes to hockey iq.

 

[OV Rocks]

I’m not sure if anyone has made the comparison of PLD to Mantha this past year. Carberry seemed to do a great job of reinvigorating Mantha and his goal scoring ability.

What were some of the knocks on Mantha under Laviolette, big body but doesn’t use it, takes nights off, disappears for stretches….sounds a lot like the knocks on PLD coming into the Caps system.

Obviously they play two different positions and I am hopeful that PLD’s best is higher than Mantha’s best.

We just saw this though, Carberry should have a bit of a blue print to get him on track and I am excited to see what he can do.

On another note…The LA thing is weird, it’s strange it didn’t work out and so fast, I don’t like that. I am going to give him a pass on being a 22/23 year old that didn’t wanna play for a dictator and then moving to Winnipeg he played well, and all he did was say that he wasn’t going to resign, which is his right, and that blew up into a media circus.

Welcome to the squad, I can’t wait to see a Protas - Dubois - Wilson line!

 

[wickedwitch]

Regardless of what we think of the move, Ryan Leonard liked (at least) 3 separate instagram posts about PLD joining the Caps. (And I checked -- he doesn't like most of the Caps' account posts, although he does like some. The 3rd post was from RMNB.) And I assume GMBM cares more about Leonard's opinion.

I'd actually play Leonard with Strome at least at first -- Strome has many similar strengths and weaknesses as Will Smith. But regardless, I could see Leonard wanting to play with someone more experienced than Lapierre/McMichael to start with if he signs this summer. This now gives Carbery two options.

 

[Todd Lazarchick]

This doesn't match up to this:

You're wanting to give a 7 year 10+ mil contract to someone that had everything line up perfectly.
Reinhart has hit 33 goals as a high prior to this season where he lined up in FLA in a contract year and feasted on the PP. His S% was unsustainably high this past year. You want us to believe that he's now a 100 pt player even though this year was only the 2nd time he's been a Ppg player. All the numbers for Reinhart scream regression every single one. But let's sign him to a contract worth more than the one you're bitching about in Dubois. Reinhart regresses back to his career norms and you're paying 10+ million for a 60-70 point guy.

In the same breath you're arguing that Dubois is a 40pt guy when every year other than this last one he's been a decent bet for 55-60. It's not far fetched that he comes to Washington and Carbery can pull at least that player out of him. Could he come in and bomb sure it could happen, but my scenario could also just as easily play out.

Seems to me like you need to look past just this last season which is all you're basing your statistics on.

Yes I’m very much willing to bet Reinhart is a better player that PLD. I can promise you every franchise would say the same

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Look at Reinhart’s numbers before he was inserted into a loaded Florida lineup….much closer to PLD best seasons. Take him out of Florida and put him into a mediocre lineup and he’s back to 65 pts a year…

 

[SherVaughn30]

Anybody know if OV has talked to PLD yet?