Pierre-Luc Dubois struggled mightily in his one and only season with the Los Angeles Kings in 2023-24, and despite signing a monster eight-year, $68 million contract with the club before the campaign, he'll no longer be a part of the franchise's future.
Instead, it'll be another fresh start for the 25-year-old after he was shipped from California to the nation's capital, joining the Washington Capitals in a one-for-one swap that sent goaltender Darcy Kuemper back to LA.
And after recording a miserable 16 goals and 40 points over a full 82-game season, the former No. 3 overall pick is focused on getting back to form ahead of training camp.
“I don't think there's any time for anybody to feel sorry about themselves,” Dubois told reporters on Wednesday, per the Associated Press. “You learn in the hockey world teams will do what they think is better for their team, and there's no hard feelings. For me, I could take it multiple ways, but I'm choosing to take it as extra motivation and to just get myself ready for next season.”
The Capitals will be Dubois' third team in three seasons dating back to 2021; he's now played for the Columbus Blue Jackets, Winnipeg Jets, Kings and soon Caps after breaking into the league in 2017-18.
It's hard to believe how ineffective Dubois was with the Kings after requesting a trade from the Jets in 2023. The 40 points he managed were the lowest of his career in a full 82-game slate.
Pierre-Luc Dubois badly needs a bounce back year
Although Kings general manager Rob Blake took some responsibility for Dubois “not being put in the right roles and the situation not being a great fit,” per AP, it doesn't change the fact that a forward making $8.5 million AAV should be good for much more than 40 points.
But another change of scenery could benefit the Quebec native, who will now have the chance to play with Dylan Strome. The two were roomates on Canada's World Junior Hockey Championship team in 2017.
“I'm sure that we'll push each other, and he'll teach me what he's learned already,” Dubois said of Strome, per AP. “To be able to play with him again will be really fun and get to know him again. Obviously, we're in different stages in life, but it'll be exciting.”
Dubois is looking forward to a different role on the Capitals, a team that is trying to maximize the last few years of Alex Ovechkin's career before what looks to be an inevitable rebuild. But Washington isn't there yet, and Dubois could be a big help as the franchise looks to return to the postseason in 2025.
“It was exactly what you want to hear as a player: How excited they are, how I can help in a lot of ways for this team,” Dubois remarked on his first conversation with Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan. “You want to feel welcome. You want to feel like you're a part of it.”
Dubois is now in the thick of things in the nation's capital, and he'll be locked in on trying to get his career back on track. It will be interesting to see if he can do that alongside Ovechkin and co. next season.
Follow Us
Subscribe