Dubious Dubois: The end to Pierre-Luc Dubois

 PLD was once a top 6 contributing center with size and the skill to put up consistent sixty point campaigns. It seems his effort and or luck has stopped that from happening, Being only 25 (26 on June 24th) and already on his 3rd team it looks like this might lead to a 4th. 
What then is the solution? Though none of the options will be simple, may I offer any advice? Take off the bandage, acquire Dubois, and begin anew. It appears to be in everyone's best interests.

Dubois had a very underwhelming  regular season and that poor play continued into the post season. He finished this year with only forty points in eighty-two games. His lackluster effort would sometimes leave the Los Angels head coach Jim Hiller no other choice than to play him on the fourth line. 

The LA forward came out and discussed his poor play with the media:

PLD-I can only control what I can control, right? I had my role in Winnipeg that I thought I did well. I had success there. But my first year there was a different story. I had to build, I had to work, and I got to where I wanted to. My last season in Winnipeg, I thought it went well. I was in a [position] I was comfortable with and you can keep building towards a goal. Every day you show up, you know what your role is, you know what your job is. You have that base, that stability, that you can build on. It helps a lot. Then, when you go to a new team, you can continue that or it could be completely different and new. I can only control what I can control.

At the end of the day, I know, I can do better. My first year in Winnipeg didn’t go well. It was kind of the same thing. A lot of new things, new role, new everything. I didn’t panic, I knew what I could do. I knew that once I found that stability that I could do good things. I worked for it, and I achieved that. So, I’m not panicking. I’m not stressed. Was it frustrating? Sure. Was it hard? Yeah. But, eight months ago to a year ago, I was playing how I can play. It’s not lost. It’s just, I have to get back to it, and that’s on me.

It doesnt help that the kings gave up a "kings ransom for PLD" which included, Gabriel Vilardi, Alex Iafallo, Rasmus Kupari and a second-round pick. 

To put it plainly, Dubois fell short of the expectations placed on him on both ends of the rink. The question now becomes, what should LA do about him? The Kings will need to respond to it right away.

Dubois will have a complete no-movement cause starting on July 1st, which will extend until '28–29. After that, it will become a 15-team no-trade list, which will then become a 10-team no-trade list for the last two years of the agreement. Put another way, the sooner LA trades Dubois—ideally before July 1—the better. After that, the more important question is: Can LA trade Dubois at all?

The likelihood is that the answer is not. Previously, he had demanded trades to get out of Winnipeg and then Columbus. He signed a maximum-length extension once he arrived at the destination he desired, only for it to go horribly wrong. Why would another team want to sign him at this point? And why, in the eyes of the Kings, would you trade a star* player at the lowest point of his career?

This brings up the subject of a buyout, which is urgent once more. On June 24, Dubois will turn 26. At that point, a buyout would now cost two thirds of his remaining pay instead of just one third. The reasoning for this league rule is that younger players have a better chance of making up the money they lose in a buyout through future earnings.

In real terms, a buyout by LA would cost $1.131 million through 2037–2038 if they were to proceed. If the cap were to be applied, the amount would start at one million and change and increase to $2.53 million in 2026–2027; between $3.7 and 3.9 million in 2027 and 2030; $2.8 million in 2030–2031; and finally, $1.131 through '37–2038. It's pricey and a little shocking to think about, but could it be feasible?

The Kings now have two options for their buyout strategy: either buy out Dubois or hope he can develop into the player the team signed him for. However, even that is made more difficult by the LA front office's current state of uncertainty. Austin Stanovich of THN pointed out earlier this week that Rob Blake and Luc Robitaille might both be let go in the next few days. That begs the question of whether LA can get Dubois before his 26th birthday by having a front office in place in time.