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[Article] Kings' Pierre-Luc Dubois talks trade requests, fan backlash ahead of Winnipeg return


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Posted

Kings' Pierre-Luc Dubois talks trade requests, fan backlash ahead of Winnipeg return

 

The 25-year-old, who was drafted third overall in 2016, is already on his third NHL team after forcing his way out of both Columbus and Winnipeg.

 

Kings forward Pierre-Luc Dubois knows he rubbed a lot of fans in Columbus and Winnipeg the wrong way with a pair of polarizing trade requests that ended his respective tenures with each club.

 

Dubois, however, appears to have no regrets as he adjusts to life in Los Angeles.

 

"I knew when I asked for my trade from Columbus, I'd get criticized," he said in an interview with The Athletic's Murat Ates. "I knew when this situation happened in Winnipeg, I'd get criticized. I had to look at it like, 'Do I not want to get criticized but not do what I want to do … or do I want to get criticized but be happy with my life?'"

 

"Everybody's entitled to their opinion. At the end of the day, it's my life: I only live once. I only have one career," Dubois added.

 

The 25-year-old, who is already on his third NHL team after going third overall in the 2016 NHL draft, had been rumored to be on the move from Winnipeg since June 2022 when it was revealed he intended to test free agency when his contract expired in 2024.

 

The Jets ended up flipping him to the Kings over the summer for a haul of forwards including Alex Iafallo, Rasmus Kupari and Gabriel Vilardi along with a second-round draft pick in 2024 before Dubois inked a monster eight-year extension with Los Angeles.

 

The team he was traded to the Jets from, the Blue Jackets, also had issues keeping Dubois happy — under different yet somewhat similar circumstances. Prior to his fourth campaign in Columbus, Dubois was benched by then-head coach John Tortorella just five games into the 2020-21 campaign before he was flipped to Winnipeg in exchange for Patrik Laine shortly after.

 

Though he admits to wanting out, Dubois says the intent behind his words and feelings were "misconstrued" throughout both processes.

 

"A lot of times, people have the mindset that if he did this, it's because he hated that. But it's not like that at all.

 

"That's the main thing I would say if you asked me what I wanted people to understand: You can like two things at the same time. You can appreciate two different things at the same time."

Dubois has yet to find the scoresheet two games into his tenure with the Kings, but his next chance to make an impact will be against the Jets when he makes his return to Winnipeg on Tuesday.

 

"It will be special, I'm sure," Dubois said, per NHL.com. "I'm sure some fans will see it a little differently, but for me personally it will be special. ... To play against some teammates and friends that I have from Winnipeg, it'll be a special game."

 

If those boos do come, Dubois says it will change his perception "a little bit" of his tenure with the Jets.

"If they're cheering my departure, I think I'd question a little bit more my time there," Dubois said on Saturday. "But it is what it is."
 

Kyle Cantlon

Mon, October 16, 2023 at 1:10 PM PDT
 

https://ca.yahoo.com/sports/news/kings-pierre-luc-dubois-jets-blue-jackets-trade-requests-fan-backlash-nhl-winnipeg-return-201041323.html

Posted
2 minutes ago, Chickenspear said:

I thought he requested another trade for a second there...


that’s next year!

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Posted

I have no problem when a player doesn’t want to play in a market. 
They have short careers and little autonomy. 
I also have no problems with that player getting booed.

I know if I was told I had to go to Winnipeg and then I got the option to go to almost any other market I would be doing anything I could to move on 

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Posted
On 12/16/2023 at 8:33 PM, Drakrami said:

lol. Vilardi already playing better than Dubois, without the 8.5million per year contract. What an impatient, retarded move by LA Kings, called it. 

Vilardi

7g.   8 asst.     15 pts.   +12

14 games

Posted

Winnipeg is much better without the selfish player PLD who only cares about the money. LA will regret this trade. PLD is not worth anything close to $8.5 million for a career 60ish point player. He’s on pace this year for only 42 points. That’s even worse than Horvat. 

Posted (edited)
2 hours ago, Elias Pettersson said:

Winnipeg is much better without the selfish player PLD who only cares about the money. LA will regret this trade. PLD is not worth anything close to $8.5 million for a career 60ish point player. He’s on pace this year for only 42 points. That’s even worse than Horvat. 

To be fair to Horvat, he never asked for a trade to my knowledge.  That to me makes a big difference.  That and Horvat is on a PPG pace (likely leeching off of Barzal I'd guess as I don't follow that team).

Edited by NewbieCanuckFan
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Posted
10 minutes ago, NewbieCanuckFan said:

To be fair to Horvat, he never asked for a trade to my knowledge.  That to me makes a big difference.  That and Horvat is on a PPG pace (likely leeching off of Barzal I'd guess as I don't follow that team).

Leeching has a negative connotation.  It's just straight-up chemistry.  Barzal needs a guy who can score in the slot - used to be Anders Lee in his prime, and now it's Bo.

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Posted (edited)
13 minutes ago, NewbieCanuckFan said:

To be fair to Horvat, he never asked for a trade to my knowledge.  That to me makes a big difference.  That and Horvat is on a PPG pace (likely leeching off of Barzal I'd guess as I don't follow that team).

How is he "leeching off Barzal" when he has consistently put up 60+ points despite having rotating wingers? He finally has a consistent elite line mate and creates a lot for him. And before someone says he's not a play driver he has more assists than goals this year. It helps having a player like Barzal and Palmieri vs Pearson and Boudreau/Green flavour of the week. It wasn't until last year when Pearson was hurt that they full time paired him with Miller too.

Edited by canuck73_3
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Posted
53 minutes ago, Miss Korea said:

Leeching has a negative connotation.  It's just straight-up chemistry.  Barzal needs a guy who can score in the slot - used to be Anders Lee in his prime, and now it's Bo.

 

52 minutes ago, canuck73_3 said:

How is he "leeching off Barzal" when he has consistently put up 60+ points despite having rotating wingers? He finally has a consistent elite line mate and creates a lot for him. And before someone says he's not a play driver he has more assists than goals this year. It helps having a player like Barzal and Palmieri vs Pearson and Boudreau/Green flavour of the week. It wasn't until last year when Pearson was hurt that they full time paired him with Miller too.

I didn't want to been seen as "pumping Horvat's tires".  OK, that's a weak ass response by me (but remember I was in fact defending him in the reply to my original post & I did state I haven't followed the Islanders).

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Posted
On 12/23/2023 at 1:04 PM, Elias Pettersson said:

Winnipeg is much better without the selfish player PLD who only cares about the money. LA will regret this trade. PLD is not worth anything close to $8.5 million for a career 60ish point player. He’s on pace this year for only 42 points. That’s even worse than Horvat. 

PLD will likely amp it up at some point this spring. LA is strong down the middle. If PLD dogs it the better for Vancouver. I sure don't want to play LA in the first round. 

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Posted
On 12/24/2023 at 12:21 PM, Boudrias said:

PLD will likely amp it up at some point this spring. LA is strong down the middle. If PLD dogs it the better for Vancouver. I sure don't want to play LA in the first round. 

 

Neither do I, but I'd rather play LA then Vegas. 

 

Those two are playing tonight, gonna be a good game. 

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