Kings Trade Pierre-Luc Dubois To Capitals for Darcy Kuemper
The Los Angeles Kings traded center Pierre-Luc Dubois to the Washington Capitals in exchange for goaltender Darcy Kuemper.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is a stunning move by both clubs involving two players thought to be untradeable because of their contracts and performance in 2023-24. Cap Friendly and PuckPedia indicate that no salary was retained in this deal.
Los Angeles Kings trade Pierre-Luc Dubois to the Washington Capitas (NHL Images)
The Kings acquired Dubois from the Winnipeg Jets last June and signed him to an eight-year, $68 million contract with an average annual value of $8.5 million. His contract contains a no-movement clause that begins on July 1. It’ll be interesting to find out if Dubois knew of this deal beforehand or was asked if he didn’t mind getting traded to Washington.
Dubois was expected to fill the second-line center role for the Kings. However, he struggled this season, managing 16 goals and 40 points in 82 games. He was held to one goal in five games during their first-round series against the Edmonton Oilers.
Kuemper signed a five-year, $26.5 million contract with the Capitals in July 2022 after backstopping the Colorado Avalanche to the Stanley Cup. Like Dubois, he struggled with his new team, finishing last season with a 3.31 goals-against average and a save percentage of .890, losing the starter’s job to Charlie Lindgren. He had a 10-team no-trade list and it appears the Kings weren’t on it.
Both teams hope this change of scenery helps these players rediscover their game. However, the Capitals are taking the biggest gamble. Dubois has seven seasons left on his contract with a more expensive cap hit while Kuemper only has three years left.
Man this popcorn is tasty 🍿
No sh*t Brock. Wow.
Yay or nay fellas….
NHL happy about this all happening before the end of the cup?
Is it distracting from the cup final? Or drawing more attention to it?
Fine with it chrisms.
Probably neither? Definitely draws attention to the NHL, not sure about the SCF. I think the Oil making it a series is helping. If they can get it to a game 7, big boon for the NHL.
If anyone one on here hasn’t been watching because they don’t have a horse in the race, it’s been great hockey.
If anything this just reinforces all of the complaints that the Final shouldn’t be happening in late June.
yep…I mean the next game is literally on the summer solstice…
Just like in the prophesy!
I agree Brock. I’d love to see a slightly shorter season and at least round one be best of 5. Maybe round two. Would be less wear and tear on the top 4 making for healthier better teams.
Start the season three weeks earlier and present Lord Stanley’s cup no later than May 31st.
No more June hockey.
There are too many days off in the playoffs now.
Colour me corrected. I did not foresee two big trades on this day. Bettman is gonna have a hissy fit.
Goalie market seems to be drying up pretty quick.
I was surprised when the Kings gave Dubois such a large contract. I was more surprised that Washington took it off of their hands. Wow!
Keumper is an upgrade from what they had.
Well if neither player gets it going, a win for LA. If both get it going a win for Washington.
Who is more likely too? I dunno.
To me Washington wins this huge but we will see. Back up goalie for first line centre . But PlD needs to grab this team and run with it . If not oops.
As you all know, I was in favor of the Habs making a move for PLD, but on the right terms. Picks and prospects. I didn’t want them to include Dach in any trade and I’m glad they didn’t. Quite an irony that the guy the Habs did pick up, Alex Newhook, scored only 6 points fewer that Dubois while playing 27 fewer games. Don’t think I’d trade Newhook or Dach for Dubois 1 for 1 even putting aside the cap hits.
I would imagine the Kings did their due diligence and checked in with the Habs to advise that Dubois was on the market. And Hughes probably gave a quick no thanks.
The kings basically dealt a solid young player in Vilardi, a solid bottom 6 forward in Iafallo, a decent defense prospect in Kupari and a 2nd for an average goalie. I like Blake but I think his collar is tightening just a bit. If the Kings don’t progress next year he could be gone,
Actually the Kings traded Dubois, Vilardi, Iafallo, Kupari, Sean Durzi and a 2nd round pick for a so so goalie who could rebound or could be cooked.
that’s not accurate.
Keumper = Dubois
Dubois = Vilardi, Iafallo, Kupari, 2nd
Durzi = 2nd
so you need to take out Dubois and make it either the 2nd or Durzi but not both. Still too much for a middling 35yo goalie but at not as bad as you have it.
Blake was right to make a splash last summer. He was right to move good pieces that were basically spare pieces on his roster. He just picked the horse to back.
Yeah I can admit I mixed it up slightly but the reality is that Dubois, Vilardi, Iafallo, Kupari and Montreal’s 2nd round are all gone. That’s a lot out the door regardless with little to show for it.