On Jan. 23, 2021, the Winnipeg Jets traded Patrik Laine and Jack Roslovic to the Columbus Blue Jackets. In return, the Jets acquired centre Pierre-Luc Dubois and a third-round draft choose (Danil Zhilkin).
Wanting again, it’s a transaction that’s loaded with irony. Either side thought they had been buying game-changers — Winnipeg thought it was getting a prime centre after Dubois’ point-per-game exhibiting in the 2020 bubble playoffs, Columbus was excited to have maybe certainly one of the prime aim scorers in the league. Neither consequence turned out, nonetheless, and right now Laine is a member of the Montreal Canadiens, whereas Dubois has since been traded twice and is enjoying for the Washington Capitals this season.
The Canadiens and Capitals meet Thursday night time, and with Laine on the shelf recovering from a knee harm, my consideration is on Dubois and how he’s been doing with one other recent begin.
I’m having a troublesome time figuring out a extra polarizing NHL expertise than Dubois. It seems like he’s been in the league perpetually, however he’s nonetheless solely 26 years previous. His greatest shifts profile an influence ahead who’s troublesome to test, a six-foot-four, 225-pound centre. He’s been on the cusp of scoring 30 objectives 3 times in his profession, the most up-to-date simply two years in the past. Dubois has the potential to be an upper-echelon participant in the league, the form of centre each staff craves to have.
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However, to date, he hasn’t constantly delivered on that potential, and his final staff, the Los Angeles Kings, bailed on his eight-year, $68-million contract 12 months after getting him in a sign-and-trade with the Jets, and simply earlier than a no-movement clause kicked in. They traded him to Washington for netminder Darcy Kuemper after giving up Gabe Vilardi, Rasmus Kupari, Alex Iafallo and Montreal’s 2024 second-round choose (Alfons Freij) to get Dubois in the first place.
With that in thoughts, I’ve got down to analyze Dubois’ first section of video games with the Capitals and determine if something stands out — optimistic or unfavourable — in comparison with his earlier stops in Columbus, Winnipeg, and Los Angeles.
THE GOOD
The Washington Capitals took a big danger buying Dubois. Whereas his greatest shifts are All-Star calibre, the in-between moments of malaise depart a lot to be desired.
Right here’s a have a look at a few of the good from the previous couple seasons.
In the first clip, whereas Dubois was a member of the Jets, he scores off the rush in a playoff sport versus the Vegas Golden Knights. Maintaining in thoughts Dubois’ dimension, when he’s heading to the internet like he is in this sequence, he’s like a prepare monitoring downhill.
The second clip is from a sport final 12 months in Los Angeles in opposition to the St. Louis Blues. Dubois and Arthur Kaliyev work a nifty give-and-go throughout the prime of the slot in the Blues’ finish and Dubois rips the puck residence from mid-range.
This season, Dubois has flashed that form of positivity once more, and we will see certainly one of these examples in a current sport in opposition to the Philadelphia Flyers.
Dubois is in a accountable defensive place, reads the play as the Flyers flip the puck over and leads the transition rush for Washington. He drives the Flyers again off their blue line, surveys his choices and makes a easy play to Trevor van Riemsdyk, who directs the puck towards the internet earlier than it’s tipped by Connor McMichael.
The Capitals, as a staff, have been very completely satisfied with the early returns from Dubois. Head coach Spencer Carbery lately mentioned he felt Dubois has been the Capitals’ greatest participant to start out the season. There is perhaps some “coach speak” embedded in Carbery’s remark, as he could possibly be making an attempt to verify Dubois is in a great place by outwardly supporting a participant who is discovering his method with one other new staff. Dubois is sixth in staff scoring, in the backside third in plus/minus (plus-one), fifth in hits (11) and eighth in photographs on aim (17). To be honest, Dubois does lead Washington’s forwards with 9 blocked photographs.
There’s no doubting Dubois’ line has had a scorching begin. McMichael (4G-5A) and Tom Wilson (5G-1A) have been implausible for Washington. My query is: Does something stand out about their metrics this season in comparison with final, and is it as a result of the reality Dubois is the centre of the line? Or are the three gamers primarily near the similar model of themselves?
Right here’s what I discovered from NHL EDGE, which reveals the percentile every is in for these stats, in comparison with their friends:
Connor McMichael
2023-24 | Percentile |
SOG | 61st |
Offensive zone time | Beneath 50 |
Capturing % | 78th |
2024-25 | |
SOG | 78th |
Offensive zone time | Beneath 50 |
Capturing % | eightieth |
Tom Wilson
2023-24 | Percentile |
SOG | 77th |
Offensive zone time | Beneath 50 |
Capturing % | 58th |
2024-25 | |
SOG | sixty fifth |
Offensive zone time | Beneath 50 |
Capturing % | 94th |
Pierre-Luc Dubois
2023-24 | Percentile |
SOG | sixty fifth |
Offensive zone time | Beneath 50 |
Capturing % | 61st |
2024-25 | |
SOG | 62nd |
Offensive zone time | Beneath 50 |
Capturing % | Beneath 50 |
What these numbers present is a trio of gamers that isn’t spending any notable quantity extra time in the offensive zone than they did final season, whereas each wingers have larger taking pictures percentages which might be certain to stage off to some extent. This is very true for Wilson, who is scoring on 26.3 per cent of his photographs, a lot larger than his profession common of 12.1.
However the trio is getting extra photographs and scoring possibilities than they offer up and, to date, has been Washington’s greatest line.
NOT SO GOOD
Dubois has made curious decisions in all three zones over the span of his profession. Suffice to say the following clip is what has pushed coaches loopy over the years.
Dubois begins the sequence in a dependable place defensively and is truly directing site visitors from the left of his crease. As the play strikes throughout the zone, he has a chance to make use of his dimension and size to dislodge Tampa defenceman Ryan McDonagh off the puck.
As an alternative, Dubois takes a brief lower and tries to poke test the puck off McDonagh. He’s not robust on his stick so he loses it, after which loses his focus in the sequence. In the end, his test, Nick Paul, finally ends up firing the puck residence from a high-danger space. Dubois didn’t have an opportunity to recuperate as soon as he elected to select up his stick.
SO, ARE WE SEEING PROGRESS?
The Capitals are banking on Dubois performing to the better of his means on extra nights than not. Once they acquired him in the summer time, the group knew precisely what the danger and reward could possibly be.
The underside line stays the similar with regards to Dubois: He has an infinite quantity of upside, nevertheless it comes with the danger of uneven effort on any given night time. Via his first eight video games, Dubois is averaging 17:28 of ice time, has 11 hits, seven blocked photographs and is profitable simply 47 per cent of his faceoffs. The aim he has scored was an empty-netter.
It’s too early to know what Dubois will present the Capitals for the remainder of this season and for a number of years to come back. His begin hasn’t been poor, so I’m cautiously optimistic he’s going to have a bounce-back 12 months and help the Capitals with their playoff aspirations.
Let’s see what model of Dubois we get in Thursday night time’s sport in opposition to Montreal.
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