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

[Devil Dancer]

Ugh, and they just got rid of a mouthguard chewer.

Good to lose the Kuemper contract. Good to see a big stones move from GMBM.

I'm skeptical of the player, but maybe Carbs can figure him out?

 

[Carlzner]

We all made fun of the Flyers for overpaying for Kevin Hayes when they signed him to a $7m/7year deal, yet this board is now bending over backwards to justify PLD's $8.5M/7years. This is gonna be the same thing, a couple years of decent-ish production (accompanied by a big body loafing) followed by being forced to eat 50% of his deal for multiple seasons when the team is supposed to be turning the corner into contention.

Sorry but Dubois is on another level skill wise than Kevin Hayes ever was.

 

[RandyHolt]

I dont know the player but it sounds like the guy is lazy aka fat cat disease has settled in.

I do know seeing someone making that much while labeled a "Soft" 6'4 225 and light on his skates - leaves me skeptical knowing if he is not scoring there is nothing he will be willing to do to help the team in other ways. Like go all out defensively, or you know, hit.

Maybe BMac will put some red bull in Dubs porridge.

 

[NoVaCapsFan]

Holy crap this is a polarizing trade. I love it. Not because I love PLD or hate Kuemper, but because someone just slid all his chips to the middle of the table and now we are gonna see how the hand plays out.

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

I dont know the player but it sounds like the guy is lazy aka fat cat disease has settled in.

I do know seeing someone making that much while labeled a "Soft" 6'4 225 and light on his skates - leaves me skeptical knowing if he is not scoring there is nothing he willing to do to help the team in other ways.

Maybe BMac will put some red bull in Dubs porridge.

Im hoping being in the locker room with Ovie, Oshie, and Wilson brings his dawg out some.

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

Far as moves that can still be made?

Let’s just say the Caps resign CMM & Malenstyn for 3.5m combined. They promote Lapierre, Miroschnichenko, and one of the Hershey G’s.

Those 5 players give them 22 skaters (13/7/2). Which would leave them with 7.1m (ish) to play with.

Were I in charge, I’d do whatever I could to add a top 2D. Using Jensen’s (or TVR’s) salary slot. That gives you 10-11m to use. In some form or fashion, and needing a D-man.

I think we are still in good place to steal one of the canes players... Necas, Orlov, maybe even JG

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

I had 17 drinks on the golf course and at dinner and just now I crushed a bowl so after thinking a lot about this trade all afternoon, I think I just saw a squirrel. Can’t wrap my head around this.

 

[g00n]

Low key boost to the power play maybe

 

[BallardEra]

Kings fans coming in peace- If the Caps manage to get PLDs compete level to the minimum needed to play in the NHL he may be a solid player. Problem here is was traded to the Kings with that reputation and did nothing to dispel it and actually bolstered the claim. Happy to see him and his contract gone that said- he wasnt a bad guy or primadonna. People who interacted with him all had good things about him as a person...but on the ice he really looks like a guy who doesnt like his job. Hope he turns it around for you guys but watching PLD last season made me wish we had simply traded for Nic Dowd.

Sidenote- Caps are one of my favorite Eastern Teams back to the early days of Langway, Stevens, Hatcher, Johannson. Hope Ovechkin can hang around long enough to break the record for you guys and good luck next season.

Love your avatar. Bichon Frise mix?

 

[marcel snapshot]

It’s interesting that no one who dislikes this deal is claiming Kuemper was a useful hockey asset for this team. Because he so obviously wasn’t. Makes more sense to rip BMac for signing DK in the first place (he won a Cup without being very good - here’s a bunch of $), than it does to rip him for getting rid of DK for no $ and getting a young-ish C with size and skill who might not be the diva everyone thinks he is

 

[Kalopsia]

I dont know the player but it sounds like the guy is lazy aka fat cat disease has settled in.

I do know seeing someone making that much while labeled a "Soft" 6'4 225 and light on his skates - leaves me skeptical knowing if he is not scoring there is nothing he will be willing to do to help the team in other ways. Like go all out defensively, or you know, hit.

Maybe BMac will put some red bull in Dubs porridge.

He had 96 hits last year, which would've been 7th on the Caps. He's been over a hit per game almost every season of his career. He's not Malenstyn or Wilson, but his hit totals are pretty respectable for a top line forward. I don't think physicality is his issue, it's engaging on defense.

 

[Midnight Judges]

It’s interesting that no one who dislikes this deal is claiming Kuemper was a useful hockey asset for this team. Because he so obviously wasn’t. Makes more sense to rip BMac for signing DK in the first place (he won a Cup without being very good - here’s a bunch of $), than it does to rip him for getting rid of DK for no $ and getting a young-ish C with size and skill who might not be the diva everyone thinks he is

Kuemper was useless. No better than an AHL call-up and for $5.25M. So yeah if this was for 3 years of an additional $3.25M to turn Kuemper into PLD, then it makes fine sense. But friggin 7 years of PLD at $8.5M as opposed to 3 more seasons of Kuemper at $5.25M, eh I think this could be huge disaster.

 

[StrikingDistance]

We all made fun of the Flyers for overpaying for Kevin Hayes when they signed him to a $7m/7year deal, yet this board is now bending over backwards to justify PLD's $8.5M/7years. This is gonna be the same thing, a couple years of decent-ish production (accompanied by a big body loafing) followed by being forced to eat 50% of his deal for multiple seasons when the team is supposed to be turning the corner into contention.

Dearest soothsayer:

Do you have the winning lottery numbers for Friday?

Thanks for the hyperbole: 'Bending over backwards'. How about interpreting as: Giving the guy a chance? For the most part, people have been complaining about scoring goals. Maybe he exceeds expectations? Maybe not. Whatever. We got rid of an overpaid bench warmer which I doubt anyone thought would happen.

Darcy Keumper: 5.25 cap hit plus signing bonuses....for back-up goalie.

Golly.

 

[IafrateOvie34]

Ugh, and they just got rid of a mouthguard chewer.

Good to lose the Kuemper contract. Good to see a big stones move from GMBM.

I'm skeptical of the player, but maybe Carbs can figure him out?

Best post.

 

[mysterman2]

Love your avatar. Bichon Frise mix?

Rescue Schnoodle.

 

[Hivemind]

Dearest soothsayer:

Do you have the winning lottery numbers for Friday?

Thanks for the hyperbole: 'Bending over backwards'. How about interpreting as: Giving the guy a chance? For the most part, people have been complaining about scoring goals. Maybe he exceeds expectations? Maybe not. Whatever. We got rid of an overpaid bench warmer which I doubt anyone thought would happen.

Darcy Keumper: 5.25 cap hit plus signing bonuses....for back-up goalie.

Golly.

Giving the guy a chance? He's been in the NHL for 7 years, 3 previous teams, and 5 previous head coaches. But I guess year 8, team 4, and head coach 6 will finally be when it clicks for him (and continues to click for the remaining 7 years of his contract)....

(Also, signing bonuses count towards cap hit - and PLD still has $11M worth of signing bonuses remaining on his contract, so not sure why you're bringing those up)

 

[Silky mitts]

If you take Kuemper’s buyout number as a rebate, it’s something like 7x$7.1M for PLD. That’s the 36th highest paid center right now, in 2 years plus one month he’s going to pay a low paid 2C, he can score 55 points a year and it’s not going to crush the team.

 

[Hivemind]

To spell out this contract for some folks, PLD is now:

The 4th highest paid player (by AAV) in Washington Capitals history (Jagr, Ovechkin, Backstrom)
Paid more than John Carlson
Tied for the most remaining contract term on the team, until 2031 (Wilson)
The lone Capital with a full NMC (until 2028-29)
Tied with Leon Draisatl, Mika Zibanejad, and Mark Schiefele as the 14th highest paid (by AAV) active center in the NHL
Tied with Roope Hintz as the 7th highest paid (by actual salary) center in the NHL for 2024-25

 

[Carlzner]

I bet he goes from 14th to ~30th in the next few years. Cap raise will start bumping some upcoming negotiations for sure.

 

[Rayquaza64]

I think this is the best center upgrade they could make without paying a crap ton of assets or drastically overpaying for an old guy in FA who would likely fall off by the time the caps are actually ready with all their prospects. Like a previous poster I can't find said, we either want either be playoff contenders or lottery contenders, and PLD being good/bad in a big spot could very easily lead us to both outcomes.

 

[Holtbyisms]

Whatever, if he can become a consistent 25G/35A to 30G/40A guy and not cause problems I'll love this deal. The money doesn't even really matter the more I think about it. In two years when 8 retires it's going to be a dumpster fire looking to hit the cap floor anyways. And great news for him, #18 is available!

 

[Hivemind]

I bet he goes from 14th to ~30th in the next few years. Cap raise will start bumping some upcoming negotiations for sure.

The simplest way to frame this is - identify 18 centers who you think will pass him in the next 3-4 years (16 + Crosby and Tavares expiring contracts ahead of him). Remember that Hughes, Thomas, Thompson, Suzuki, Norris, Stutzle, Hintz, Aho, Pettersson, Larkin, and Circelli already have contracts that last until 2030 or later.

 

[StrikingDistance]

Giving the guy a chance? He's been in the NHL for 7 years, 3 previous teams, and 5 previous head coaches. But I guess year 8, team 4, and head coach 6 will finally be when it clicks for him (and continues to click for the remaining 7 years of his contract)....

(Also, signing bonuses count towards cap hit - and PLD still has $11M worth of signing bonuses remaining on his contract, so not sure why you're bringing those up)

Yeah, I'm not obtuse. Things change...maybe w/ the Caps it's different. Different coach, different team mates, different time zone..who knows. Guess that's the difference: optimism vs pessimism. Until it happens and he starts sucking, then we can deal with it. At least Keumper is gone.

And with Capfriendly gone, we don't know how shitty the Cap hit is if we can't see it. haha

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

The simplest way to frame this is - identify 18 centers who you think will pass him in the next 3-4 years (16 + Crosby and Tavares expiring contracts ahead of him). Remember that Hughes, Thomas, Thompson, Suzuki, Norris, Stutzle, Hintz, Aho, Pettersson, Larkin, and Circelli already have contracts that last until 2030 or later.

Dude they ate Darcy contract and only because they liked him from being a king before. We traded cap dumps both teams hate the trade lol

Rob Blake mentioned he liked Darcy with the kings coaches
and We need a center maybe it works out for both players

 

[Hivemind]

Dude they ate Darcy and only because they liked him from being a king before. We traded cap dumps both teams hate the trade lol

Kings fans hate it because it symbolizes how much of a failure the trade they made for PLD a year ago was. Blake turned Vilardi, Iafallo, and a 2nd into Darcy Kuemper. That's why they're upset.

Darcy wasn't going to be worth his contract, but his contract "only" has 3 years remaining, a 3 year period in which this team wasn't likely going to be contending anyway. I'd much rather stomach that than be saddled with a contract that will continue to weigh this team down into its next contention period.