Pierre-Luc Dubois talks about his struggles with the Kings (translated from French)
September 8, 2024
Interview by La Presse and shared by @TheBannermenPod on Twitter
40 comments
No offense to Dubios, but you would think you would put more effort in no matter the situation and where you fit. The team just signed you to 8 years they obviously want you.
Seeing how this is his 4th team at 25-26 and 3rd overall it’s probably a idk maybe a Dubois thing.
Poor PLD 😭
What a coincidence that PLD is the one who couldn’t get acclimated. Danault, Fiala and Arvidsson didn’t have any of these issues
Is this 4 off-seasons in a row now? Get your shit together dumbass
“I didn’t know what was expected of me” says the player who signed a 70 MM$ contract.
“I didn’t really know what was expected of me.” Oof that’s a frightening statement for caps fans to read.
How the hell can someone who had the same ups-and-downs under John Tortorella make it sound like it’s an issue of clear expectations? I can’t think of a more direct coach than him, yet we saw the same thing.
I wonder what the lowest common denominator is.
Sounds like he was confused to the role or system they wanted him to play?
The way he talks about it, they weren’t willing to give him one on one time to get the details of his role or the system and expected him to pick it up from the collective teachings or exercises. Then in games he was asking too many questions about where he should be, what he should be doing etc. If that’s the case then I get it. If I’m learning something and I don’t pick it up right away then I might need some one on one time to really understand what’s being asked of me.
If anything this comes off bad on both him and LA at least to me. You signed the player to a lengthy contract, why not get him some extra skills coach or something to help him fit in and carve out his role in the system? Maybe it was effort and PLD didn’t want extra practice, who knows. It tracks. But if you’re LA why not try before simply cap dumping a dude. Business wise I get it though, why be on the hook for that contract, but damn. Did you even talk in depth to the player before trading/signing him?
I can’t be the only guy tired of more excuses from PLD
If this was the first place he was having issues, you could maybe say the fit was the main issue. But when you’re already on your 4th team at age 26 as a former 3rd OA pick, there is clearly more of an issue with you than the teams.
The GM was putting on his gear and working with you personally in practice to try and get you to give a shit Pierre-Luc. What more clear instructions could they possibly provide you at that point?
He obviously needs to be putting in more effort, but I’m starting to think he has some significant mental health issues that no one is addressing and that he’s getting piled on for.
I know he’s getting paid tens of millions just to slap a puck around, but it’s pretty well documented that money doesn’t solve depression/anxiety/self confidence/ whatever else kind of issues he’s dealing with.
Might be a controversial opinion but I’m wishing the best for him and hoping he can turn it around.
I could be wrong and maybe he really did just phone it in after his new contact, but I’d rather me be wrong and look like an idiot for defending him than if I were right, have nobody help him on his journey and have him flame out into obscurity and ridicule for the rest of his life.
I am still baffled by Washington’s willingness to take this contract.
It doesn’t sound like he’s too enamored with hockey, at least at the moment. He’s thinking about pleasing others, making sure he’s got the system down, like at some point he’s gotta just go play. He’s huge and fast and can score while making millions, go enjoy that shit and the rest will come
On one hand it sucks for PLD…. On the other hand the man is good 50-60 points getting paid north of 8 Million and will be on his 4th team in 8 years.
I Think we see the issue.
Bro really wants us to play him a song on the worlds smallest violin lmao
Local man who thinks everyone else is the problem continues to be oblivious to the common denominator.
Torts is one of the few coaches who doesnt deal in grey area and tells you how it is. But you couldn’t work with him either
I wonder how many picks will be traded to move this guy around the league before the end of this contract
This dude loves being a hockey player but doesn’t love the game of hockey. He has the physical tools to be a top 10 C in the league and the work ethic of a college player that’s only there for the pussy.
What a waste
The dude is a milk bag.
I’m starting to think this guy has a legit personality disorder
Bye Felicia.
Lazy, selfish players always talk like this. “I need to know my role, I need clear instructions!”
What a fucking buffoon.
See most people here are as smart as Blake, the Kings couldn’t make a decision on what position they wanted him to play the whole year. They couldn’t decide how they wanted him to play, they put him with players that didn’t mesh with his style of play, you have Fiala with the puck all day and is a distributor and then act like PLD is a sniper, he’s not. He wasn’t a 3rd line shutdown defender ever. It isn’t rocket science, they got him and then realized he didn’t fit with how they play at all. That’s not his fault it’s a GM that forced a big trade, to make it look like he was doing something.
I’m glad the guy is gone, but you can’t force a square peg in a round hole. That is on Blake and the front office completely. The old boys club need to get broken up.
Dude has issues
“I didn’t really know what was expected of me.”
Does this include when you played for Torts in CBJ? From everything I understand, Torts makes it very clear what the expectations are for everyone.
This sounds like a cop out.
Rob Blake literally showed and explained what he wanted. Oh well. Maybe he’ll find his game in DC
He wanted a more direct coach? But you had one in Torts and you threw a hissy fit to get out! What do you want man?
How has this guy already made 40M playing hockey with another 59M coming his way in the next 7 years, yikes.
Dude is a fucking bum
Capitals don’t have much expectations besides give Ovechkin goals.
So I think PLD will fit fine as a tank commander.
Ooooh brother this guy STINKS
Flames out of:
Columbus ✅ Winnipeg ✅ Los Angeles ✅
What makes anyone think Washington will be any different?
Needs clear instructions on how to be…. Not only a professional hockey player. A NHL player…. Good night Irene.
Look at the pattern, that’s my opinion.
Guy is a really talented player who’s lazy and got paid for his glaring talent and not his effort in the hopes that effort would come to fruition.
Fuck him. Grow the fuck up. You got a job. Idgaf if you’re an electrician, doctor, cashier, manager, elite athlete. You’re getting paid to do a job based on your talent. Fucking meet the expectations.
For anyone trying to argue that the pressure was too much for him in LA like some were making in the thread; coaches, scouts, management can obviously **see** the difference between you having the jitters and you not giving a shit. LA staff saw he didn’t give a shit, and they dumped his ass.
Guys like him (people in general, honestly) hardly change, I look forward to him not meeting expectations with the Caps.
I know a lot of Habs fans (definitely **not** the majority, before any Habs fans start with “but I didn’t…”) wanted PLD even after LA as a reclamation project like Dach, Newhook, and Laine, but this tells me he would not have done well in our system. St-Louis’ system does not emphasize structures and rigid play, he demands his players think about what they’re doing on the ice, ask questions, and play fluidly taking into account the needs of the other 4 players on the ice with you and the team as a whole.
I feel like Dubois would’ve had much the same issue under St-Louis that Anderson’s had since St-Louis became our head coach. It’s not that he’s a bad coach, but rather that north-south players relying purely on skill rather than their hockey IQ don’t mesh well with a coach who demands a high level of on-ice awareness and flexibility from his players. That’s why Suzuki, Caufield, and especially Slafkovksy have done so well under him, all three are intelligent players who strive to be better. Maybe there are teams where PLD can just put his head down and play, but it wasn’t going to be us and we’re better for it.
PLD actually makes sense here, I don’t think anyone knew what his role on LA was supposed to be, or why they traded for him in the first place. They already had Kopitar and Danault. Did they want an $8.5 mil 3C? Did they want him to play wing? Was he an offensive center getting points like Kopitar? Or a defensive, matchup center like Danault?
“Instructions were unclear, so I decided to give zero effort”
lol okay sorry to hear about your struggle dude
I don’t know whether he’s a diva or if he’s just dumb as fuck
Absolutely no one from the Kings management side was fired for this deal btw.
He’s gonna be one of those players that floats from team to team never finding a spot or consistent production, until he’s closing-in on retirement, and then he’ll land on a contender at trade deadline and be the greatest 4th liner in the league for 2 months. He’ll play 11 playoff games, sit for 15 and will get to hold the cup 3rd (after a more important retiring legend holds it first.)
I don’t know too much about the Kings coach, but I guess all I can do at this point is cling to the hope that Carburry, being so used to coaching younger guys, can help get his head on straight.
But man, it feels a lot like we’re taking on another Kuzy.
40 comments
No offense to Dubios, but you would think you would put more effort in no matter the situation and where you fit. The team just signed you to 8 years they obviously want you.
Seeing how this is his 4th team at 25-26 and 3rd overall it’s probably a idk maybe a Dubois thing.
Poor PLD 😭
What a coincidence that PLD is the one who couldn’t get acclimated. Danault, Fiala and Arvidsson didn’t have any of these issues
Is this 4 off-seasons in a row now? Get your shit together dumbass
“I didn’t know what was expected of me” says the player who signed a 70 MM$ contract.
“I didn’t really know what was expected of me.” Oof that’s a frightening statement for caps fans to read.
How the hell can someone who had the same ups-and-downs under John Tortorella make it sound like it’s an issue of clear expectations? I can’t think of a more direct coach than him, yet we saw the same thing.
I wonder what the lowest common denominator is.
Sounds like he was confused to the role or system they wanted him to play?
The way he talks about it, they weren’t willing to give him one on one time to get the details of his role or the system and expected him to pick it up from the collective teachings or exercises.
Then in games he was asking too many questions about where he should be, what he should be doing etc. If that’s the case then I get it. If I’m learning something and I don’t pick it up right away then I might need some one on one time to really understand what’s being asked of me.
If anything this comes off bad on both him and LA at least to me. You signed the player to a lengthy contract, why not get him some extra skills coach or something to help him fit in and carve out his role in the system? Maybe it was effort and PLD didn’t want extra practice, who knows. It tracks. But if you’re LA why not try before simply cap dumping a dude. Business wise I get it though, why be on the hook for that contract, but damn. Did you even talk in depth to the player before trading/signing him?
I can’t be the only guy tired of more excuses from PLD
If this was the first place he was having issues, you could maybe say the fit was the main issue. But when you’re already on your 4th team at age 26 as a former 3rd OA pick, there is clearly more of an issue with you than the teams.
The GM was putting on his gear and working with you personally in practice to try and get you to give a shit Pierre-Luc. What more clear instructions could they possibly provide you at that point?
He obviously needs to be putting in more effort, but I’m starting to think he has some significant mental health issues that no one is addressing and that he’s getting piled on for.
I know he’s getting paid tens of millions just to slap a puck around, but it’s pretty well documented that money doesn’t solve depression/anxiety/self confidence/ whatever else kind of issues he’s dealing with.
Might be a controversial opinion but I’m wishing the best for him and hoping he can turn it around.
I could be wrong and maybe he really did just phone it in after his new contact, but I’d rather me be wrong and look like an idiot for defending him than if I were right, have nobody help him on his journey and have him flame out into obscurity and ridicule for the rest of his life.
I am still baffled by Washington’s willingness to take this contract.
It doesn’t sound like he’s too enamored with hockey, at least at the moment. He’s thinking about pleasing others, making sure he’s got the system down, like at some point he’s gotta just go play. He’s huge and fast and can score while making millions, go enjoy that shit and the rest will come
On one hand it sucks for PLD…. On the other hand the man is good 50-60 points getting paid north of 8 Million and will be on his 4th team in 8 years.
I Think we see the issue.
Bro really wants us to play him a song on the worlds smallest violin lmao
Local man who thinks everyone else is the problem continues to be oblivious to the common denominator.
Torts is one of the few coaches who doesnt deal in grey area and tells you how it is. But you couldn’t work with him either
I wonder how many picks will be traded to move this guy around the league before the end of this contract
This dude loves being a hockey player but doesn’t love the game of hockey. He has the physical tools to be a top 10 C in the league and the work ethic of a college player that’s only there for the pussy.
What a waste
The dude is a milk bag.
I’m starting to think this guy has a legit personality disorder
Bye Felicia.
Lazy, selfish players always talk like this. “I need to know my role, I need clear instructions!”
What a fucking buffoon.
See most people here are as smart as Blake, the Kings couldn’t make a decision on what position they wanted him to play the whole year. They couldn’t decide how they wanted him to play, they put him with players that didn’t mesh with his style of play, you have Fiala with the puck all day and is a distributor and then act like PLD is a sniper, he’s not. He wasn’t a 3rd line shutdown defender ever. It isn’t rocket science, they got him and then realized he didn’t fit with how they play at all. That’s not his fault it’s a GM that forced a big trade, to make it look like he was doing something.
I’m glad the guy is gone, but you can’t force a square peg in a round hole. That is on Blake and the front office completely. The old boys club need to get broken up.
Dude has issues
“I didn’t really know what was expected of me.”
Does this include when you played for Torts in CBJ? From everything I understand, Torts makes it very clear what the expectations are for everyone.
This sounds like a cop out.
Rob Blake literally showed and explained what he wanted. Oh well. Maybe he’ll find his game in DC
He wanted a more direct coach? But you had one in Torts and you threw a hissy fit to get out! What do you want man?
How has this guy already made 40M playing hockey with another 59M coming his way in the next 7 years, yikes.
Dude is a fucking bum
Capitals don’t have much expectations besides give Ovechkin goals.
So I think PLD will fit fine as a tank commander.
Ooooh brother this guy STINKS
Flames out of:
Columbus ✅
Winnipeg ✅
Los Angeles ✅
What makes anyone think Washington will be any different?
Needs clear instructions on how to be….
Not only a professional hockey player.
A NHL player…. Good night Irene.
Look at the pattern, that’s my opinion.
Guy is a really talented player who’s lazy and got paid for his glaring talent and not his effort in the hopes that effort would come to fruition.
Fuck him. Grow the fuck up. You got a job. Idgaf if you’re an electrician, doctor, cashier, manager, elite athlete. You’re getting paid to do a job based on your talent. Fucking meet the expectations.
For anyone trying to argue that the pressure was too much for him in LA like some were making in the thread; coaches, scouts, management can obviously **see** the difference between you having the jitters and you not giving a shit. LA staff saw he didn’t give a shit, and they dumped his ass.
Guys like him (people in general, honestly) hardly change, I look forward to him not meeting expectations with the Caps.
I know a lot of Habs fans (definitely **not** the majority, before any Habs fans start with “but I didn’t…”) wanted PLD even after LA as a reclamation project like Dach, Newhook, and Laine, but this tells me he would not have done well in our system. St-Louis’ system does not emphasize structures and rigid play, he demands his players think about what they’re doing on the ice, ask questions, and play fluidly taking into account the needs of the other 4 players on the ice with you and the team as a whole.
I feel like Dubois would’ve had much the same issue under St-Louis that Anderson’s had since St-Louis became our head coach. It’s not that he’s a bad coach, but rather that north-south players relying purely on skill rather than their hockey IQ don’t mesh well with a coach who demands a high level of on-ice awareness and flexibility from his players. That’s why Suzuki, Caufield, and especially Slafkovksy have done so well under him, all three are intelligent players who strive to be better. Maybe there are teams where PLD can just put his head down and play, but it wasn’t going to be us and we’re better for it.
PLD actually makes sense here, I don’t think anyone knew what his role on LA was supposed to be, or why they traded for him in the first place. They already had Kopitar and Danault. Did they want an $8.5 mil 3C? Did they want him to play wing? Was he an offensive center getting points like Kopitar? Or a defensive, matchup center like Danault?
“Instructions were unclear, so I decided to give zero effort”
lol okay sorry to hear about your struggle dude
I don’t know whether he’s a diva or if he’s just dumb as fuck
Absolutely no one from the Kings management side was fired for this deal btw.
He’s gonna be one of those players that floats from team to team never finding a spot or consistent production, until he’s closing-in on retirement, and then he’ll land on a contender at trade deadline and be the greatest 4th liner in the league for 2 months. He’ll play 11 playoff games, sit for 15 and will get to hold the cup 3rd (after a more important retiring legend holds it first.)
I don’t know too much about the Kings coach, but I guess all I can do at this point is cling to the hope that Carburry, being so used to coaching younger guys, can help get his head on straight.
But man, it feels a lot like we’re taking on another Kuzy.