Pierre-Luc Dubois said he went from surprise to excitement when he learned the Washington Capitals had acquired him in a trade with the Los Angeles Kings for goalie Darcy Kuemper on June 19.
“They’re a team that, when you were a kid, you were excited to watch on TV,” Dubois said during a Zoom call from Los Angeles on Wednesday. “Then when you grow up, you hear that it’s a big organization with a big group, so my emotions went from surprise and shock to just excitement.
“Once I talked to the coaching staff, management and some players, I couldn’t be more excited to get there.”
The center, who turned 26 on Monday, scored 40 points (16 goals, 24 assists) in 82 regular-season games this season and one goal in five Stanley Cup Playoff games for the Kings.
“I still feel very young,” Dubois said. “I still have a lot to learn in this league and I hope that being able to work with a new coaching staff will help me get to the next level. When you come to a new team, there are opportunities to learn about yourself, not only on the ice but also off the ice.”
Washington, which averaged 2.63 goals per game this season (28th in the NHL), has been looking to add a top-six forward to its lineup. The Capitals hope they’ve found that in Dubois, who is two seasons away from 63-point seasons (27 goals, 36 assists) in 73 games with the Winnipeg Jets, the highest of his NHL career.
On the day of the trade, Washington general manager Brian MacLellan said Dubois has “immense potential to become a top-tier center in the NHL. With his size, exceptional skating and high hockey IQ, we are confident who will thrive in our organization. with greater responsibility and opportunities.”
Selected by the Columbus Blue Jackets with the third pick in the 2016 NHL Draft, Dubois has 342 points (145 goals, 197 assists) in 516 games with the Kings, Jets and Blue Jackets, and 27 points (11 goals, 16 assists). ) in 43 playoff games.
Dubois was acquired by the Kings in a trade with the Jets on June 27, 2023, and immediately signed an eight-year, $68 million contract (average annual value of $8.5 million) that runs through the 2030-31 season.
Now he joins a Capitals team that seeks to rejuvenate itself to continue in the fight for the playoffs. Captain Alex Ovechkin, 38, is 42 goals away from surpassing Wayne Gretzky (894), the most in NHL history.
“To be able to play with the greatest scorer of my generation and hopefully one day soon, the greatest scorer in NHL history is crazy,” Dubois said when asked about the possibility of being on the ice if Ovechkin breaks the record. “To be able to help out in a moment like that, to be there, I’m sure that would be something incredibly special, not only in my career but in my life.”
Dubois roomed with Capitals center Dylan Strome while playing for Canada at the IIHF World Junior Championship in 2017 and has watched Strome’s career evolve since signing with Washington as a free agent on July 14, 2022. Strome established NHL career highs in goals and points. each of the last two seasons, finishing with 67 points (27 goals, 40 assists) this season.
“I’m sure we’ll push each other and he’ll teach me what he’s already learned,” Dubois said. “We’ll be able to have good conversations. It’s really fun to see his career, the way he’s progressed. It’s exciting to see that. Hopefully I can get there too.”
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