Kings coach Todd McLellan rips Pierre-Luc Dubois

It's safe to say that the eight year, $68 million bet that the Los Angeles Kings have placed on forward Pierre-Luc Dubois isn't looking so hot these days.

The Kings paid a steep price (A Kings ransom, some might say) to acquire Dubois from the Winnipeg Jets this past offseason, shipping Alex Iafallo, Rasmus Kupari, Gabriel Vilardi and a 2nd round pick to Winnipeg before promptly signing Dubois to a $8.5 million annual deal. Just... YIKES.

Dubois has nine goals and 19 points in 44 games with the Kings this season and has routinely been placed on the team's 3rd or 4th lines during the campaign. Meanwhile, Vilardi has gotten off to a scorching start with the Jets, putting up 20 points in 26 games. Iafallo has also been a stellar addition, while Kupari continues to find his way as a young player in the NHL. Oh... and that Habs 2nd round pick looks like it'll fall in the top 40 of the upcoming 2024 NHL Entry Draft. Double YIKES.

It's clear that Dubois has been a bad acquisition for the Kings and yesterday his coach, Todd McLellan, has had enough. Yesterday a frustrated McLellan essentially threw his player under the bus, expressing his lack of patience for the talented, but inconsistent forward. 

“At the end of the day whether PL gets four minutes or gets 24 minutes he has to be a difference maker. And with or without the puck we’ve gone through this long enough it’s time.”

- Todd McLellan

I've got to say... I'm not surprised that things are playing out this way for Dubois and the Kings. This is a guy who has proven time and time again that he'll put himself first in any situation. He's NOT a team player and he never has been. He's forced his way out of two NHL franchises and yet he has somehow guaranteed himself $68 million. Honestly, Kings GM Rob Blake should be embarrassed not only for being on the losing end of an absolutely awful, one-sided trade, but also for signing Dubois to a maximum term contract.