The Kings' coach has a lot to say about Pierre-Luc Dubois, and it speaks volumes about what the Montreal Canadiens could have gotten from him

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Elias Edmonson
October 15, 2023 (1:03 PM)

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Several teams will be watched closely during the ongoing season.

Among them are the Los Angeles Kings, who will certainly want to take another step forward after two consecutive first-round playoff eliminations against their division rivals, the Edmonton Oilers.

And to achieve this, General Manager Rob Blake made a major acquisition during the summer with the addition of Pierre-Luc Dubois to his team. Acquired at a high price from the Winnipeg Jets, the Quebec forward is already receiving a lot of praise from members of the Kings organization, starting with his head coach.

Todd McLellan is very pleased with what he sees from Dubois and said he is exactly the player he expected.

Here are his comments collected by the website L.A. Kings Insider.com.

"He's very cerebral, reads the game well and reacts the right way, he uses his size. It's going to take a little time because everyone knows how things work here and what they have to do."

"It's hard to play when you have to think a lot on the ice, but when it comes naturally to him, he will become even better." - Todd McLellan

As for his new teammates in California, they too have praised Dubois, including veterans Drew Doughty and Anze Kopitar, and they are very much looking forward to playing with him.

"With Pierre-Luc coming in, we will definitely have one of the best center lines in the league." - Drew Doughty.

"From what I remember when we played against him, he's a very skilled and physically strong player." - Anze Kopitar

And the same goes for his Quebec compatriot Phillip Danault, as the two men got acquainted during the summer period.

"He's a good guy and a very good player. He's a great addition to our team. I'm really looking forward to seeing what he can bring to our lineup." - Philip Danault

It didn't take long for Dubois to make himself appreciated there, that's for sure!

That said, Pierre-Luc Dubois joining the Kings is obviously a major asset for the organization, which hopes his arrival will provide the additional element the team needed.

Last year with the Winnipeg Jets, the 25-year-old center collected 63 points, including 27 goals in 73 games, and although it was his best production since the start of his career, Dubois requested a trade from the Jets' management.

After several rumors and hopes that the Quebec forward might move to the Canadiens, he was instead sent to the West Coast of the United States by the Jets organization, while Gabriel Vilardi, Alex Iafallo, Rasmus Kupari, and a second-round pick in the 2024 draft headed to the plains of Manitoba.

Let's bet that they will miss the Californian beaches this season and that Dubois will take advantage of this fresh start with the Kings.