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Kings Royal Report: Dubois Isn’t Being Bought Out, Kuemper & More

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers
By Michael Ostrower | Last updated 5/13/24

Welcome to the Kings Royal Report. Here we will discuss the good, bad, and ugly of the Los Angeles Kings. It will be a place to bring up recent reports, discuss prospects, brainstorm ideas, and break down the coming schedule. If you are looking for bold and creative ideas, you are in the perfect place! Now, let’s get to the good stuff!

With the first week of the offseason underway for the Kings, rumors are already starting to ramp up. These rumors mostly stem from general manager Rob Blake’s end-of-season press conference. Alongside president Luc Robitaille, the two discussed the future of the Kings and how they are going to proceed this offseason. They were vague on most topics, but not on major 2023 offseason addition, Pierre-Luc Dubois.

No Pierre-Luc Dubois Buyout

Amid recent speculation regarding a Dubois buyout, Blake confirmed the Kings have no plans of doing so. The rule states that “the buyout amount is a function of the player’s age at the time of the buyout, and are as follows: 1/3 of the remaining contract value, if the player is younger than 26 at the time of the buyout.” That 1/3 changes to 2/3 once the player is 26 years or older. Given Dubois is just 25 years old, the Kings would be able to reach the 1/3 threshold narrowly.

Calls by some fans to buy out Dubois are a result of his disappointing season where he scored just 16 goals and 40 points in all 82 regular season games. Many fans believe now is the best time to shed his contract as on July 1 he is set to undergo four seasons of a full no-trade clause, followed by three seasons of a modified no-trade clause.

Getting rid of Dubois now may be the best option for the Kings moving forward. While a buyout is out of the picture, Blake did not discuss whether Dubois was confirmed to return next season, so a trade is still possible.

Darcy Kuemper

Discussion regarding Dubois led insider Jeff Marek to believe a trade to the Washington Capitals could be in the works. Given Charlie Lindgren’s rise to stardom in the net, Darcy Kuemper is out of a starting goaltending job, so Washington could look to move the former top free-agent signing. For now, there appears to be low confidence in this connection by Marek, so Kings fans should not expect anything to arise anytime soon.

Ontario Reign to Round 3

The Kings’ American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Ontario Reign, concluded their Round 2 matchup of the 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs against the Abbotsford Canucks with a 4-3 victory to complete the three-game sweep. The series was dominated by the Reign, outscoring Abbotsford 11-4 in the three games played.

Nobody played better than Reign goaltender and top Kings’ prospect, Erik Portillo, who improved his playoff stat line to a 5-0 record with a 1.20 goals-against average and .956 save percentage. In his first professional season, he has done nothing short of dominate, and he is quickly emerging as a candidate to join Los Angeles’ goaltending tandem for the 2024-25 season.

In addition to Portillo, the Reign have found success throughout their lineup. Eight skaters have four or more points so far, showcasing the team’s strong depth. This offensive success has been led by 24-year-old Tyler Madden and 20-year-old Brandt Clarke, both of whom are NHL hopefuls for next season.

With the Reign preparing for Round 3 of the playoffs against the Coachella Valley Firebirds, expect the Kings front office to pay close attention to how the series plays out. While it is unlikely any decisions have been made regarding a definitive offseason plan, it is important to see who from the Reign appears ready for the NHL. The players leading the charge are Portillo and Clarke, but there is a lot of talent on the roster so the Kings should have a lot of options to choose from.

As rumors continue to swirl and the NHL season’s end nears, the Kings are likely to remain in headlines and reports. The team fell short of expectations and needs a shakeup. This shakeup could be through a trade or free agency, but it is clear the roster will be different next season, and only time will tell how the offseason will unfold.

This article first appeared on The Hockey Writers and was syndicated with permission.

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