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THN: PLD is not among the players most likely to bounce back in 2024-2025
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After being traded to the Kings in June 2023, Pierre-Luc Dubois was expected to have a good season in California.

After all, Los Angeles gave a lot to acquire his services.

But as we know, the PLD experience in LA was a disaster.

Just over a year later, the Quebecer, who had just signed a contract that was far too long, was traded for… Darcy Kuemper and that was that.

The goalkeeper is actually on the list of players most likely to bounce back in 2024-2025, after a forgettable 2023-2024 season. PLD is not on The Hockey News list.

THN therefore has no hope in a forward who can reach the 60-point plateau. In Washington, he’ll have the opportunity to play with Alex Ovechkin, though. And I say this with all due respect: Washington’s offense is not the Kings’. PLD will get playing time on the top two threes, on the power play and in overtime.

And behind veterans like Ovi, he won’t be under as much pressure. After all, he was traded for a goalie who was robbed of his number-one spot by Charlie Lindgren…

Let’s talk about Kuemper, as he’ll have a brand-new start behind a line-up that aspires to great things. Behind the likes of Anze Kopitar, Phillip Danault and Drew Doughty, the goaltender will be able to get his career back on track, with a salary footprint of $5.25 million over the next three seasons.

In addition to Kuemper, THN is planning bouce-back seasons for guys like Patrick Kane, Shea Theodore, Shane Pinto, Barrett Hayton and Dougie Hamilton. In the case of Kane and Theodore, it’s not because they’ve disappointed in points, it’s because they’ve missed nearly half the season.

Let’s see if they can pull off another near-point-per-game season, this time playing 82 games.

Overtime

– Wow.

– Beautiful to watch.

– I guess the Canadian beach volleyball team didn’t have the aerial technology of the soccer team.

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