The hockey world — particularly, those living in Winnipeg — has been quick to assign the Los Angeles Kings an ‘F’ in the Pierre-Luc Dubois trade. But hold back your grades for now.
Dubois might have cost too much to acquire. And he might be getting paid too much for what he’s producing. But with the playoffs looming, the 25-year-old is starting to show glimpses of the player he can still become.
“It isn’t more frustrating because I make more money than last year. It’s frustrating because I’m a competitor,” Dubois told The Hockey News. “It’s frustrating because I know what I can do.”
It’s that high ceiling that made Dubois a No. 3 overall pick in the 2016 NHL draft. It’s why Los Angeles was willing to give up so much — Gabriel Vilardi, Alex Iafallo and Rasmus Kupari, plus a second-round pick — to Winnipeg in exchange for him. And it’s why the Kings then signed him to an eight-year, $68-million contract extension, which makes him the 15th highest-paid center in the league.
With just 15 goals and 39 points in 76 points this season, it appears that the Kings whiffed on him in the same way that the Jets and Blue Jackets had whiffed before them. But unbeknownst to many, Dubois is quietly starting to look comfortable in California.
And a comfortable Dubois is a scary sight for opponents, especially come playoff time.
After recording just 20 points in his first 48 games, Dubois has looked reborn under new coach Jim Hiller. Since Hiller took over behind the bench, Dubois has recorded 19 points in 28 games — a 56-point pace over an 82-game season — and 11 of those points have come in his last 11 games.
Related: Los Angeles Kings Fire Coach Todd McLellan: What Led to This?
“He has had the puck on his stick more and he’s showcasing more of his skating ability and his talent,” Kings forward Trevor Moore told The Hockey News. “We’re starting to see him get back to his game.”
Dubois’ game — highlighted by his rare combination of speed, size, skill and grit — fits the bill for a prototypical playoff performer.
We saw it back in 2019-20, when a 22-year-old Dubois had 10 points in 10 playoff games, including a five-game stretch against the Toronto Maple Leafs where he held Auston Matthews to just one 5-on-5 point. Lately, that version of Dubois has re-emerged just when Los Angeles needs it the most.
Dubois has looked more engaged on both sides of the puck. Offensively, Moore pointed to a sequence against Vancouver last Monday when Dubois skated the length of the ice to set up Kevin Fiala perfectly in the slot.
The visitors are on the board first thanks to Kevin Fiala 👑 pic.twitter.com/0hALilbZpM
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) March 26, 2024
His progression has been just as palpable away from the puck. Under former coach Todd McLellan, Dubois recorded just 2.79 hits per 60 minutes. Since Hiller joined, he’s delivering 6.72 hits per 60 minutes.
“To be physical you’ve got to move your feet,” said Hiller. “When he’s moving his feet, he’s dangerous in the neutral zone.”
While the coaching change has been a reset of sorts, the main driver behind his resurgence stems from him getting more comfortable and adapting to his change of scenery. Moore believes the difficulty of the latter is often overlooked.
“Even if you’re comfortable with the guys in the locker room and you feel good. Subconsciously — with all the changes in your life — everything is so much different,” Moore said.
It’s a feeling Dubois knows all too well, who is on his third team in four years.
“Whenever you get to a new team sometimes, it can go one of two ways. When I first got to Winnipeg, my first season wasn’t great. And that’s probably sugar-coating it. It wasn’t good at all,” Dubois said. “It was frustrating and that’s the first time in my life that happened. So, it was tough. Then I show up here and obviously, you want to start off good, but there’s a possibility that it’s rough. I learned a lot from my first year here. I learned that it doesn’t always happen overnight. I’m not panicking.”
These days, Dubois’ confidence isn’t in the gutter, and it shows through his mentality.
“I haven’t lost my game,” Dubois said. “I haven’t lost who I am.”
And if Dubois can be the player he’s capable of being, the deal may not become all that lopsided as most of Winnipeg believes it is.
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News Summary:
- Pierre-Luc Dubois Quietly 'Back To His Game' with Los Angeles Kings
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