September 2, 2023 by Kirk Morris
The 2022-23 Los Angeles Kings season was another test for the team in several fashions. The Kings had a major problem in goal, as Cal Petersen was assigned to the AHL’s Ontario Reign, and never rebounded.
However, career third-string goalie Pheonix Copley stormed in and salvaged what was left of the season and gave the Kings a punchers’ chance going into the playoffs. Eventually at the trade deadline, General Manager Rob Blake dealt Kings legend Jonathan Quick, which angered a lot of Kings’ fans by the way he was dispatched, and brought in a pair of Blue Jackets, in defenceman Vladislav Gavrikov, and goalie Joonas Korpisalo.
They were definitely pesky in the post-season as well, giving the Edmonton Oilers fits early on in their first round series. Korpisalo stood on his head at times to keep the team in it, but ultimately they were defeated by the Oilers in six games. It was clear many players on the Kings were not pleased with their own performances.
So, how does a team like the Kings get better? You would think trade for a ringer between the pipes, right? That’s what this scribe thought would be the eventual outcome. The Kings were reportedly interested in making a big move to acquire Winnipeg Jets netminder Connor Hellebuyck.
Firstly, Blake decided to get rid of Petersen in a big three way trade, along with eating some salary for Ivan Provorov landing in Columbus from Philadelphia. This one makes complete sense-new scenery and club to earn a spot for Petersen and Los Angeles clears some bad money and a contract off of their books.
The next move was a bit more puzzling, though, as the Kings shipped Sean Durzi to the Arizona Coyotes for a 2023 second-round pick. Understandably, Blake wanted to clear up more cap space for a bigger, more enticing move…but why trade away a defender that’s ready to pop in the show? Maybe management and the coaching staff thought the stable of defenders was overcrowded and Durzi would be too big for the Kings’ britches? Maybe Durzi didn’t fit the bill in the plans for Head Coach Todd McLellan? Any way you slice it, bit odd of a move if you ask me.
After months of speculation and more rumours from the mainstream hockey media-the monster whopper on a hundred pound test line…the Kings land their guy in acquiring center Pierre-Luc Dubois from the Winnipeg Jets. In return to the Jets, Kevin Cheveldayoff stole forwards Gabe Villardi, Alex Iafallo, Rasmus Kupari AND a 2024 second-round pick (underline and emphasis on stolen). In retrospect, Dubois was not happy with his current situation in the ‘Peg, and asked several times to be moved. Lo and behold, the Montréal native had finally received his wish.
The biggest head scratcher of a move Blake made that really was questionable was re-signing Anze Kopitar to a two-year, $14 million extension that doesn’t kick in until the 2024-25 season. Was Blake really worried that Kopitar would leave the Southern California team for another to try and win another Stanley Cup?
There were a few more moves afterwards that were both good and bad, for the net…Kings had approximately under two million in cap space left, obviously no money left for Korpisalo (who wound up signing for good money and term in Ottawa), and the bulk of it was on aging goaltender Cam Talbot on a one-year, one million dollar contract. Blake also managed to David “Big Save Dave” Rittich as a utility third goalie…he has been very underwhelming when it counts the most. And finally, Blake snagging Buffalo Sabres castaway stopper Erik Portillo to a one year, entry-level deal, with a third round draft pick going the other way for his signing rights. Portillo was on the brink of becoming a college free-agent, as he stated to the Sabres that he wasn’t going to sign there, and rightfully so with all the goalies emerging in Devon Levi, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and veteran Eric Comrie. Ironically, Cal Petersen had a similar start to his career, being a Sabres draftee to boot. Hopefully not the same outcome for Portillo, who had been a highly touted goaltending prospect his entire college career with the Michigan Wolverines in the NCAA.
The biggest question remains is this-will Dubois finally be the player that will eventually replace a steady eddie center in Kopitar? Being drafted third overall in the 2016, there was extremely high expectations that he was going to take the mantle as the franchise number one center in Columbus. Sadly, the only coach he really flourished under was John Tortorella, having a career year stats-wise in 2018-19 with 61 points in 82 games. Consistently underwhelming with effort and was demanding trades, Dubois finally got his way in the 2020-21 season with being shipped off to Winnipeg in a blockbuster deal with fan-favourite Patrik Laine going the other way to the Ohio state captial.
At first blush with Dubois going to the Kings, taking a look at the analytics-he’s not terrible at all. In fact, he’s very close to Kopitar in some percentiles. On the other side of the coin, the eye test isn’t bad either. PLD has a knack for second chance plays to cash in around the home plate area of the opposition end. Furthermore, his shot release is elite and he can skate like the wind. Not bad at all when counted on in key situations, especially in Winnipeg.
On the other hand, at times Dubois has a very questionable motor, extremely disengaged with team structure, non-chalant and basically just going thru the motions on the ice. Wasn’t going to say lazy, but you get the picture.
When it all adds up, you really can make a case for Blake in trading for PLD. It’s a giant risk, putting all your eggs in one basket for a player that has not made his own mark in his standalone play on the ice. Maybe with proper guidance from Kings’ bench boss and the supporting staff in LA, Pierre Luc Dubois can finally hit his stride in his years to come.
The supporting cast up front alongside Kopitar and co. are still something not to toil with. Kempe, Arvidsson, Moore, Fiala, and Kaliyev can all score goals. Defensively, Drew Doughty is aging and slowing down, but still has a game or two left in him. And I wouldn’t be surprised one bit if top prospect Brandt Clarke makes the team right out of the gates when the new season kicks off…he was damn impressive for the gold medal winning Canadians at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship.
From the farm side of the team, the Kings still have a very good stable of young prospects that are percolating quite nicely, quite noticeably on the back end to boot-hence why you can debate both ways on the departure of Sean Durzi.
It’s just the lack of solid goaltending that has me once again wondering if Blake has spread his team too thin where games count the most, especially in the postseason when a goalie has to steal a game or two. Cam Talbot has a solid veteran presence, but his injury history over the course of the last few years is very questionable. Copley has been a fringe NHL goalie for the balance of his career, and banking it on one good half of a season is a daunting play moving forward. Maybe Big Save Dave can toss a stick or two after a relief win, perhaps? (I kid….maybe.) And finally, there’s nothing in the pipeline for prospects besides Portillo that is going to make some noise to notice for anyone soon.
Blake was a maverick in previous seasons with building up his team to be a perennial favourite in the playoffs, but putting it all on the line too soon maybe could prove costly in the long run. Only time will tell now with the salary cap going up in the next few years, perhaps he still has a few aces up his sleeves.
