Confirmed Trade: [WSH/LAK] Pierre-Luc Dubois for Darcy Kuemper (no salary retained)

[BruinDust]

They tried him at 2C with Fiala, they tried him on wing with Kopitar and Kempe, they tried him centering Byfield, etc. NOTHING worked, he just lazily strolled around the ice every night no matter who he played with

At the World Championships I didn't see him skate hard or hustle even once. For some reason the coach kept putting him out there in key situations.

Ever meet someone who talks the talk (he's a great interview, sounds like a leader, says the right things) but doesn't walk the walk, it's Pierre Luc Dubois.

 

[kingpest19]

It's going to be a usage thing. Going from 15 min's a game to 20 with the Caps. 3C vs 1C usage.

When he played with Connor while the Jets were trying to convince him to stay, he was pt/game.

For the first half of the season yeah he was but from January to April not so much. Had one big game January 11th and was pretty much .5ppg from that point on

 

[Skrudland2Lomakin]

Caps don’t have much cap space, yikes

Wut? We have loads of space.

Backstrom LTIR, likely Oshie LTIR.

This deal literally is only a net gain of 3 million…

 

[Hobnobs]

I guess Caps GM wants out but wants to get fired so he keeps the money

 

[MikeK]

Have to give LA credit here. They knew they screwed up and didn't let ego get in the way of getting out from underneath that terrible contract. I have no idea what WASH are doing here but that contract and player are garbage. PLD has a terrible work ethic and a piss poor attitude. WPG knew it. LA realized it. Now it's WASH turn to find out. I'm extremely surprised LA were able to move this bum without retention or a sweetener. Yes, they lost the PLD trade with WPG. But they won this one by getting rid of the player and contract.

 

[zizbuka]

The managers also get paid to do a job too. Some players need to be put in the best spot to produce. Paying Dubois $8.5M and moving him to 3C is not the right management. Fans are thinking... but yeah, he deserved it! Well is that how you manage a guy you just signed 8x $8.5M? Think about it more

Over and over you say the same thing. He's 25 and on his 4th team already. You seem convinced he was entitled to top line minutes, maybe you should consider if he earned those minutes.

 

[Habs Halifax]

For the first half of the season yeah he was but from January to April not so much. Had one big game January 11th and was pretty much .5ppg from that point on

First half he was with Connor. Jets was trying to convince him to stay. In the 2nd half, they realized he was not staying because his agent told them he wasn't. That's when he was moved off the line and he faded in the shadows. Around the same time the reports came out that he said he wants to play for the Habs.

Any NHL manager (GM or coach) who decides to trade big assets for a player, sign him to 8x $8.5M and then play him 3C/15min a game is not thinking clearly. You got to find the right spot for him and 3C/15min a game was not it bud

I've followed the Dubois journey very well. He's not entirely innocent yes but I feel the Kings miss managed him.

 

[Richiebottles]

Any chance they buy him out?

 

[Viqsi]

This is just... wow. I can't even. Washington pushing all their chips, the keys to their car, the deed to their house, and the shirt off their back to the center of the table on a queen high with a small pot. If it works they get what might be a decent player but still end up absolutely nowhere because that alone doesn't solve the issues there, and if it doesn't, that's basically Eternal Damnation for the next decade or more because you're making a generational primadonna the bedrock of your necessary rebuild.

I'd feel pity but, well, CapFriendly.

 

[JetsFan815]

4 cities?

He has been boo'd in all of Columbus, Winnipeg and Montreal. LA fans atleast on this board hate him so I expect some boos for him in LA. So 4.

 

[Carlzner]

If PLD's booboo lip quivered at Tortarella chewing him out, just wait till Ovechkin gets tired of him...

Ovechkin has gotten along with literally every single teammate he's ever had. Including plenty of so-called divas.

 

[Skrudland2Lomakin]

Kings will be paying a backup goaltender 5.5 million for 3 more years… I’m eagerly bookmarking this thread.


There’s a good chance neither team wins this, I sincerely doubt a scenario where a 34 year old goalie who has lost his stuff emerges as worth 5.5 million in the next three years.


But yes, Caps fleeced or whatever for paying 3 million more for a guy a decade younger who plays every night.

 

[Osprey]

I was laughing uncontrollably at the trade until I saw Kuemper's contract. $5.25M AAV for the next 3 years. Yikes. Still, it's over $3M less than Dubois and ends 4 years sooner. I'll certainly take it. I wanted him bought out and this is arguably better, at least in the long term.

 

[Telos]

What a glorious day this is. I can't believe they got rid of him and his contract without retention. It was a horrible ordeal all around but at least it is over. Net negative but today is a very good day.

 

[Misery74]

This is just... wow. I can't even. Washington pushing all their chips, the keys to their car, the deed to their house, and the shirt off their back to the center of the table on a queen high with a small pot. If it works they get what might be a decent player but still end up absolutely nowhere because that alone doesn't solve the issues there, and if it doesn't, that's basically Eternal Damnation for the next decade or more because you're making a generational primadonna the bedrock of your necessary rebuild.

I'd feel pity but, well, CapFriendly.

The only thing Washington pushed to the middle of the table is an unplayable Darcy Kuemper.

LA pushed all in and lost.

 

[Viqsi]

The only thing Washington pushed to the middle of the table is an unplayable Darcy Kuemper.

LA pushed all in and lost.

I think you're severely underestimating just how unbelievably cancerous PLD can be.

Remember how the Jackets had that four-year run with Tortorella? Remember how it ended?

 

[LevelingSolo]

Why would the Caps do this?

 

[Butsy Erickson]

Kuemper had a decent stint with LA before

 

[Block]

Caps don’t have much cap space, yikes.

They have more than you'd think because Backstrom and Oshie are both LTIRetired.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Over and over you say the same thing. He's 25 and on his 4th team already. You seem convinced he was entitled to top line minutes, maybe you should consider if he earned those minutes.

Yes I am repeating because I am have multiple conversations. Deal with it.

This was not some RFA or ELC type player the Kings traded for. They paid a big futures price and gave him 8x $8.5M. Do you really think that demoting him was the right manager decision? Yeah, lets pay him $8.5M and then make him earn 18-20 min a game. When he shows signs of mistakes, lets demote him and stick him to 3C/15 min a game. That will teach him.

If he was that bad, why did team Canada pick him for their WC's roster? I think some fans need to come to grips that they went overboard with attacking him. Some deserved but not all. It's out of control and the elephant in the room was management usage.

 

[JetsFan815]

The people most excited about this trade? Youtube hockey content creators who absolutely feasted on PLD content last season. PLD- patron saint of youtube content creators. I can already picture the clickbaity titles and thumbnails.

 

[Telos]

I can't believe we got rid of him, I am so happy

 

[Carlzner]

I think you're severely underestimating just how unbelievably cancerous PLD can be.

Remember how the Jackets had that four-year run with Tortorella? Remember how it ended?

The Caps have had a notoriously strong locker room for over a decade now. It's not just going away even once Ovechkin retires... it's still a gamble, but it's not like the guy killed somebody.

 

[Royale With Cheese]

The managers also get paid to do a job too. Some players need to be put in the best spot to produce. Paying Dubois $8.5M and moving him to 3C is not the right management. Fans are thinking... but yeah, he deserved it! Well is that how you manage a guy you just signed 8x $8.5M? Think about it more

PLD moved himself into the 3C position.

 

[Skrudland2Lomakin]

Ovechkin has gotten along with literally every single teammate he's ever had. Including plenty of so-called divas.

He was pretty visibly frustrated with Sprong, but Sprong has since spoken very highly of him and his mentorship.


He was also pretty tough on Samsonov, but that was clearly after numerous attempts of being nice failed.