The Los Angeles Kings acquired goaltender Darcy Kuemper from the Washington Capitals in exchange for forward Pierre-Luc Dubois on Wednesday, marking a trade of high-priced, underperforming players.
Kuemper, who has three seasons remaining on a five-year, $26.25 million contract he signed with Washington in 2022, ended up being the backup to Charlie Lindgren when the Capitals were swept by the New York Rangers in the first round of the playoffs.
The 34-year-old Kuemper appeared in 33 games, starting 30 of them, for Washington last season, posting a 13-14-3 record with a 3.31 goals-against average and one shutout. Kuemper has played for five teams during his 12-year NHL career, including the Kings. He signed with Los Angeles as a free agent in 2017, achieving a 10-1-3 record with a 2.10 GAA in 19 games (15 starts) before being traded to Arizona near the 2018 trade deadline.
Kuemper was the second goaltender traded on Wednesday, following the New Jersey Devils' acquisition of Jacob Markstrom from Calgary.
Los Angeles, which hasn’t won a playoff series since its second Stanley Cup title in 2014, was in need of a goaltender. Prior to acquiring Kuemper, David Rittich was the Kings’ only goaltender under contract for the upcoming season. The Kings were unlikely to make a major move for a netminder during the free agency period due to limited salary cap space.
The Kings had limited cap room after acquiring Dubois from Winnipeg and signing him to an eight-year, $68 million contract last season. Dubois struggled, posting career lows in goals (16) and points (40) for a full season. Relegated to the Kings’ fourth line in the playoffs, Dubois, who turns 26 on Monday, saw his team eliminated in the first round by the eventual Western Conference champion Edmonton Oilers.
This will be Dubois’ fourth team in eight seasons. He forced a trade to Los Angeles last year after indicating to Winnipeg that he intended to become an unrestricted free agent following the 2023-24 season. The Jets had acquired Dubois from Columbus in January 2021 after he expressed a desire to leave the Blue Jackets, who had drafted him third overall in 2016.
The Capitals are hopeful that Dubois can return to his previous form. He achieved career highs with 63 points and 36 assists in the 2022-23 season and has scored at least 20 goals in four different seasons.
We are thrilled to announce the addition of Pierre-Luc to the Caps organization,” Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan said in a statement. “This acquisition brings in a talented 25-year-old with immense potential to become a top-tier center in the NHL. With his size, exceptional skating, and high hockey IQ, we are confident he will thrive in our organization with increased responsibility and opportunity.
The Washington Capitals are among several teams betting on unlocking the potential in Pierre-Luc Dubois. Good luck with that, says Ken Campbell.
The trade marks a significant move for both teams as they look to address key roster needs ahead of the upcoming NHL season.
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