Ben Shelley: Kings trade Pierre-Luc Dubois to Capitals, acquire Darcy Kuemper

PLD, Gabriel Vilardi, Alex Iafallo, and Rasmus Kupari for Kuemper.

Historically awful.

It's an accomplishment to get out from under that cap... Also an accomplishment to make such a brain-dead move in the first place.

PLD, Gabriel Vilardi, Alex Iafallo, and Rasmus Kupari for Kuemper.

Historically awful.

It's an accomplishment to get out from under that cap... Also an accomplishment to make such a brain-dead move in the first place.
- vancity787

Yeah, how does Blake still have a job?

PLD, Gabriel Vilardi, Alex Iafallo, and Rasmus Kupari for Kuemper.

Historically awful.

It's an accomplishment to get out from under that cap... Also an accomplishment to make such a brain-dead move in the first place.
- vancity787

LA gave up Vilardi, Iaofollo, Kupari and a 2nd rd pick for Dubois, then traded Dubois For Kuemper so the trade tree is actually:

Vilardi, Iafollo, Kupari and a 2nd for Kuemper.


it's easy to criticize, but i dont think many thought PLD would have as bad of a season as he did have.

Yeah, how does Blake still have a job?
- jfkst1

And let us not forget the Cal Petersen contract and the cost to unload that one.

LA gave up Vilardi, Iaofollo, Kupari and a 2nd rd pick for Dubois, then traded Dubois For Kuemper so the trade tree is actually:

Vilardi, Iafollo, Kupari and a 2nd for Kuemper.


it's easy to criticize, but i dont think many thought PLD would have as bad of a season as he did have.
- stefano76

Actually, a lot of people thought the move to acquire PLD was a bad one - given his previous track record in two organizations - now add a third. Blake should be thanking his lucky stars WSH was dumb enough to take PLD and that contract.

The PLD trade to get him was bad from the get go. Seeing as LA gave up the better player in that deal in Vilardi. But atleast they got rid of PLD and saved some money on lesser term. Doesn't excuse the bone headed moves Blake has done.

Blake should try to save face and trade for Laughton that involves their 24 1st...

I get people criticizing this trade overall, but to get rid of that player/contract AND get $3 million in cap space is a huge win. I don't think this totally solves the Kings goaltending issue, but Blake getting someone to take that lug and that contract probably saved his job.

I get people criticizing this trade overall, but to get rid of that player/contract AND get $3 million in cap space is a huge win. I don't think this totally solves the Kings goaltending issue, but Blake getting someone to take that lug and that contract probably saved his job.
- duxcup07

If Vilardi and Iafollo weren't part of the initial deal, this would make Blake look like the GM of the year that hasn't even started yet, but, as you said he saved his job with this move, except it was also the initial trade that jeopardized his job to begin with. WSH will be looking for a new GM at season's end over this move.

I get people criticizing this trade overall, but to get rid of that player/contract AND get $3 million in cap space is a huge win. I don't think this totally solves the Kings goaltending issue, but Blake getting someone to take that lug and that contract probably saved his job.
- duxcup07

In isolation? This is an A+ move. I'm happy that we traded PLD for Kuemper+3.25 mm in cap space AND 7 years of PLD for 3 years of Kuemper.

But you can't consider this move in isolation.

PLD, for 1 year and 8.5 mm, cost Vilardi, Iafallo, Kupari, and a 2nd round pick, and the cost to get rid of him was Kuemper for 3 years at 5.25mm each to get free of 7 more years of PLD.

Prior to that, Blake paid 10mm for 2 years of Cal Petersen, and the cost to get rid of him was Walker, Grans, a 2nd, and 2 years of retention at 2.025mm for Ivan Provorov.

Blake should not have a job with the Kings based on these two deals. The Kuemper deal doesn't correct the damage caused on these two deals, it only mitigates the length and amount of the damage caused by the PLD contract.

I get people criticizing this trade overall, but to get rid of that player/contract AND get $3 million in cap space is a huge win. I don't think this totally solves the Kings goaltending issue, but Blake getting someone to take that lug and that contract probably saved his job.
- duxcup07

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't it only $1.5m a year for 14 years to just buy him earlier this year? Something about him being 25 would only cost 1/3 vs waiting until he turned 26 which would have jumped to 2/3? Not sure how taking an aging Kuemper for 3 more years is a better option than just eating $1.5m for longer when the King's are in a win now situation because I honestly see another full rebuild in a year or two when Doughty and Kopitar finally have to hang it up and I see a glimmer of hope of Byfield finally hitting his prime and taking over for Kopi but no one is even close to Doughty.

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't it only $1.5m a year for 14 years to just buy him earlier this year? Something about him being 25 would only cost 1/3 vs waiting until he turned 26 which would have jumped to 2/3? Not sure how taking an aging Kuemper for 3 more years is a better option than just eating $1.5m for longer when the King's are in a win now situation because I honestly see another full rebuild in a year or two when Doughty and Kopitar finally have to hang it up and I see a glimmer of hope of Byfield finally hitting his prime and taking over for Kopi but no one is even close to Doughty.
- kingsfan626

A buyout would've averaged out to $1.5M for 14 years, but the actual cap hit would've varied. It would've been about $1.6M for the next two years, then $2.5M in year 3, $3.8M in years 4-6, $2.8M in year 7, then $1.1M for 7 years after that. The extra cap hit in years 4-7 would've been when Byfield, Clarke and others were in their prime, so it would've been jeopardizing the future for extra cap now that Blake probably would've just wasted, anyways.