Two LA Kings that have been the subject of disappointment and derision are beginning to connect with palpable chemistry.
Since the 2023-24 season began, LA Kings forward Pierre-Luc Dubois has been the center of attention for all the wrong reasons. He was, after all, acquired from the Winnipeg Jets last summer for a hefty price before signing an eight-year, $68 million deal. Dubois, however, has been the subject of disappointment. In his first 53 games, the Ste-Agathe-des-Monts, QC, native has just 11 goals and 13 assists. As for Quinton Byfield, he’s taken longer to develop than his draft mate, Tim Stutzle, whom the Kings could have drafted instead.
Things, however, have changed.
In this his first full season with the silver-and-black, Byfield has 18 goals and 42 points in 52 games so far. Dubois, meanwhile, has six points in his last six games — all of which came since the firing of Todd McLellan. In fact, on Wednesday night, both Byfield and Dubois combined for a memorable night en route to a 5-1 victory over the visiting Columbus Blue Jackets. Yet, while the Jackets may be one of the league’s worst teams to date, don’t let that dismiss the duo’s impact.
Late in the first period, Byfield put in his submission for Goal of the Year candidate. You have to see it for yourself. As for Dubois, he registered his first two-goal game since Oct. 19 when the Kings visited the Minnesota Wild. In regards to chemistry between the duo, Byfield was honest in his approach.
“He’s a great player. That’s why we brought him,” said the 21-year-old. “He’s been good for us, really good for us lately, and it’s easy to play with him. He holds onto pucks, he’s playing both ends of the ice really well. He’s skating good, he’s doing all the right things very well, and making it easy on me. We just kind of look for each other out there and it’s kind of connected right now.”
Dubois’s play has also been acknowledged and appreciated elsewhere. That includes the Kings’ interim head coach.
“I think he’s playing the game with more intensity, and that’s all over the ice,” Jim Hiller noted. “Defensively, as well, and that goes hand in hand. So, he’s stepped up his game, there’s no question. He’s getting rewarded with some points, I like to see that. I think just generally, overall, he’s just increased his intensity level.”
Hiller was also quick to revel in Byfield’s highlight-reel tally.
“That was a beautiful goal, wasn’t it? That really was,” he exclaimed. “With Q, he can really skate. So, despite us not having legs as a team, we knew that Q is going to give us energy and skate. He always does that. He’s just got an incredible motor. We knew what we’re going to get. We didn’t know he was going to go through two guys and bury it on his backhand, but happy for him. You know what I mean? Here’s a guy that took a little bit of flack early in his career and he’s just starting to get his legs going. He’s got a tremendously bright future with the Kings and we’re all glad to be watching him grow in front of our eyes.”
As for QB’s analysis of his goal…
“I just kind of picked up the puck off the faceoff and saw I had a lot of speed,” Byfield reflected. “And I saw their D come across on me, trying to kind of serve me there and I knew had him beat. I just knew it was a 1-on-1. I thought I was going to take [Zach] Werenski on the outside and then he tried cutting me off there. So, I just tried to get into the middle. I saw the puck kind of was just sitting there and then I just tried to do whatever to get it to the net. It ended up working out.”
It may be too early to tell just how formidable Quinton Byfield and Pierre-Luc Dubois are together. With that in mind, it makes the Kings’ next outing a tad more exciting. And that next outing comes on Friday night when they play host to the Nashville Predators.
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