The Capitals traded Darcy Kuemper for Dubois in a 1-for-1 trade that shook the NHL on Wednesday.
ARLINGTON, V.A. — On a busy day across the NHL, the Washington Capitals made headlines of their own that shook the league with a blockbuster trade: Pierre-Luc Dubois for Darcy Kuemper.
It's a 1-for-1 deal with the Los Angeles Kings that gets both players, who have had their share of struggles, a fresh start and gives both teams help in key areas. But at the same time, it's a big gamble, especially if you're the Capitals.
Dubois is now the second highest-paid player on D.C.'s roster (this excludes Nicklas Backstrom, who is on LTIR) with a cap hit of $8.5 million for the next seven seasons. This is also Dubois' fourth team in eight years since he went third overall in the 2016 NHL Draft.
However, that price tag — and gamble — may just be worth it for Washington. And here's why.
There's no denying Dubois' talent. When he's on his game, the 6-foot-4, 225-pound center is a big, versatile forward who has tremendous playmaking ability, impressive speed and skating ability and good instincts, along with a high hockey IQ and plenty of upside.
When he's not on his game, though, things get dicey.
Dubois has struggled with inconsistency, and at times, his effort has been questioned. One instance was a shift he had back in 2021 against the Tampa Bay Lightning that resulted in a benching from ex-head coach John Tortorella. It wasn't long before he was sent to the Winnipeg Jets.
With Winnipeg, his numbers got better, as he posted back-to-back 60-point seasons. However, he was soon done there, too, and was dealt to the Kings, where — rather evidently — things didn't go according to plan.
Plain and simple, Dubois didn't fit in. The hope was that he'd add to an already impressive arsenal of centers in L.A., but he didn't have much chemistry with Kevin Fiala, and he didn't really mesh with the systems under head coach Todd McLellan. Through the first 48 games of the season, he managed just 1.68 points per 60.
The coaching change in L.A. did help, though, and the second half of the season went much better for Dubois, who managed 2.24 points per game after the All-Star Break.
Still, he ended up on the fourth line and still had his share of struggles when it came to making the impact he was expected to, and he also only got 12:56 minutes per night at 5-on-5 while failing to make much noise otherwise.
Then, there's the reputation and noise. Back in Columbus, Dubois got into a yelling match with Tortorella on the bench before he was traded. In Winnipeg, reports came out about the Jets' "toxic" dressing room, with critics quick to point the finger at Dubois while Rick Bowness' comments after Dubois' departure also raised questions about his dynamic. Then, with L.A., Drew Doughty called out his teammates after the team hit a wall in late January, saying a select few were "too worried about themselves and worried about their points." Some speculated that Dubois was part of this group.
Let's call it what it is, though: noise for a player who's wanted a change of scenery but has had his share of struggles.
In fact, McLellan stood up for his former player back in April..
"He's a great human being. He's misunderstood at times by the outside world, simply because he took advantage of what he earned. And that was the right to come to LA. It's never easy going to a new team, and it's never easy coming to a new team as a go-to player or a top-six player. It takes a little bit of time," McLellan said on the Cam & Strick podcast. "The L.A. Kings play the game a little different than a lot of teams do. Checking comes first, so you've got to adapt to that. I think it took PL a little bit. But I think he has a chance to have a huge impact."
Off the ice, Dubois has a good rapport with the media and has also meant well to his teammates. He also wears No. 80 for a late teammate he holds close to his heart: goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks, who passed away in a fireworks accident on July 4, 2021, another move that speaks to his character and what his teammates mean to him.
Outside criticism and judgment are easy, especially when looking at Dubois' circumstances and his production over the last few seasons. However, no one on the outside looking in can truly speak for who these people are, and he's been put in an unfortunate spotlight.
That said, there's no denying that there are questions surrounding Dubois. Will he fit in with Washington? Will the tight-knit room of veterans and, to quote Charlie Lindgren, "whippersnappers," help Dubois reach his potential? Will he turn out like fellow third-overall pick Dylan Strome, who's found a home in the District and is their leading scorer? Or will the same issues and reputation follow him to the Eastern Conference?
They're loaded questions and hypotheticals, especially with the Capitals recently parting ways with Evgeny Kuznetsov for similar reasons, so let's instead look at reality.
Dubois is only 25 years old. As previously mentioned, he has the skill set and ability to be a top player; he just needs the right systems, circumstances and chances to shake out.
The organization also has faith in him, and he will get his due time to prove his worth, as MacLellan promised in his statement on Wednesday.
"We are thrilled to announce the addition of Pierre-Luc to the Caps organization," MacLellan said. "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."
At the same time, the effort and the will needs to be there, and what better coach to get that out of him than Spencer Carbery, who has helped D.C.'s youth movement tremendously and finished seventh in Jack Adams voting?
With Carbery as a resource, along with skills coach Kenny McCudden and players like Ovechkin, Nic Dowd and more, Dubois has a trusting atmosphere where he can grow his game.
Dubois also takes care of a pressing need for D.C.; the team is struggling greatly on offense. As Alex Ovechkin enters the twilight of his career, while Nicklas Backstrom remains on long-term injured reserve and T.J. Oshie's future hangs in the balance, D.C. needs a solution and a way to find twine at even strength and on the power play.
Enter Dubois, a big-bodied forward who can really turn it on when he's performing at his highest level.
Dubois has shown that he can be a high-impact player when he's on his game, and if he can adapt well to D.C.'s systems, he can not only solve Washington's issues on the forecheck but also come face-to-face with solutions for his own game, as well.
At the end of the day, the trade is a gamble, a roll of the dice. But it may just be the best possible move for MacLellan, who, technically, is only paying the $3.25 million difference after unloading Kuemper's contract and could end up with a top-6 center for years to come.
For now, though, all D.C. can do is wait and see.
