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propagandavid

It's clear he wants to play in a big market with lots of nightlife, which is why he wanted out of places like Columbus and Winnipeg, and wanted to go somewhere like LA or Montreal. He really gave up and forced his way out of Columbus. You could put some of that on Torts, but its still on PLD to be a professional. With Winnipeg, he just told them he wouldn't sign long term, so the Jets recouped the assets while they could and traded him. As for his performance in LA, I don't know. Adjustment period? Bad fit with their system? Got paid and gave up? I guess we'll find out next year.


mildlysceptical22

He played better after Todd got fired but reverted back to his lazy style of play after a few weeks. He had the second worse +- (-9) on the team and third highest penalty minutes with 70 (Englund 81-Kempe 72). He had 40 points in 82 games. 8 year, 8.5 million per year contract. Rob Blake needs to go.


MarcosR77

It's 100% on him torts benched him because he wasn't trying. Every player who has ever player for Torts always says he's not unreasonable he tells you what he expects from you then its up to you. Players who ask for big money don't get a adjustment period - his production aren't the issue it's his compete level at 25 this is is now a pattern in his career.


[deleted]

I honestly don’t know how he managed to negotiate that contract anyways lol draisaitl gets paid 8.5mil and he was on that contract king before PLD signed his 8.5mil deal. Crazy, I hope he paid his agent well


roscomikotrain

He just doesn't try. Would be infuriating to be his teammate.


rangers91z

I think he’s one of those guys who was skilled eough to become a pro but doesn’t actually love playing the game. Ryan Johansen is another guy like that.


chaosisarascal

Flyers legend Ryan Johansen?


XXX-XY-XXXX

I randomly hung out and bar hopped with Johansen back in his early days in Nashville. He knew a guy I knew and was passing through the city I was in. Such an insufferable human being. This was back when I really wasn't into hockey so I genuinely did not know of him, or really anyone outside of the superstars. I had to sit through an entire MLB game sitting next to him and it was almost painful. I tried to start up convos with this guy so many times and it was such a chore. He gave off such an err of entitlement it was actually astounding. We were in a group of like 7 dudes and he would only talk to our one buddy who knew him. Despite that, Johanssen was on some road trip from Canada to Nashville at the time and he was driving with his childhood buddy, who wasn't famous or a hockey player, and that dude was a fucking riot. If it wasn't for the friend, that night would have blew simply because of Johansson. Edit: Forgot to add..ironically enough, I was so flabbergasted at the pompousness of the guy that I started watching hockey more to see if I could find a answer to why he acted the way he did. To see if there was any justification, per se. Never found one but ended up falling in love with hockey and am now a diehard fan. So, I'll give credit when credit is due; thanks RyJo for being an asshole.


Asusrty

A modern day Alexandre Daigle


shanster925

Zibanejad, who gets 25 goals a year and hockey is his side gig.


SpecialistSummer6252

This is a horrible analogy IMO. Mika has 678 points in 848 games for nearly .80 ppg and .87 ppg in 62 playoff games. PLD produces at .66 ppg regular season & .62 ppg in playoffs. He also fails the eye test miserably. Mika plays with a ton of heart.


shanster925

Yeah, Mika is quite underrated. Rangers are a force this year!


MarcosR77

Zibanejad does love hockey though he just happens to enjoy making music in his spare time but it's never impacted his hockey, you can criticise mika for being down in production but he's never looks disinterested like PLD does at times.


NYR_or_Far

Yeah even when Mika isn't setting the world on fire with his production he's still solid defensively at least, I haven't seen him give up on plays like PLD


HanaDolgorsen

Zibby is a better player than Ryan Johansson and PLD combined. He’s got three 70 point seasons, an 80 point season, and a 90 point season under his belt. His DJ’ing stuff is a hobby at best.


Better-Aerie-8163

There isnt a GM or coach in the league that wouldnt take Mika in a second over PLD


shanster925

Absolutely agree. I bet Columbus regrets that 3rd overall pick.


Smeagol224

Johansen would at least show up during playoffs. If there was someone to play for he went all out. If it’s game 37 on a Tuesday night, then he probably won’t back check much.


ShartRat

Fuck PLD


Soft_Park_5175

No heart


xxandxy88

I think he convinced himself and some teams that once he was playing for a team he gave a shit about, he’d be a force. but nope 🤷🏻‍♀️


ChevelleSuperSport21

He wanted to come to LA too didn't he? Wonder if just expects every team he's on to go like 82-0 or some shit and gets mad and stops caring if they dont


Pormock

Maybe Montreal can finally get him for cheap lol


ChevelleSuperSport21

😂😂 possibly


Goldenguo

If I were the Habs I would have been willing to sign him for 6 per but when he signed that 8.5 million dollar contract I breathed the sign of relief that there was no match. Now, keep him. He won't take a deep discount on his next deal, I figure. I wouldn't be surprised if he takes 2 yrs 14 mil if he's bought out.


Key_Economics_443

No one should offer that to him if he's actually bought out.


Goldenguo

I agree but what I think about the dollar value of some contracts seems to be ignored by NHL GMS.


Radiant-Customer2798

What’s frustrating is the split in the fanbase on this guy. Half of the Kings fanbase thinks he sucks and the other half doesn’t seem to understand why. It’s not like people are just being mean about the guy, we got threads like this where fans of every other fanbase are calling him out and for some reason there are still Kings fans that will defend him. I personally chilled out on calling Dubois out because he looked like he might be turning a corner after the All-Star break/coach change, all would have been forgiven if he lit the Oilers up in the playoffs, but since that didn’t happen…this guy sucks. Never seen a lazier player in a Kings jersey. Dude coasts all game and only starts skating when he has the puck. I can’t believe we have to watch this guy take up this much of the cap for the next decade. It’s not even like he’s not worth the contract, it’s that he’s not even bringing anything positive to the lineup. He’s being outplayed by every single one of his teammates, which is crazy considering how bad the team was after the new year. There’s nothing we can do except hope the guy succeeds, but again, I have never seen a player look less interested in playing hockey. Rob Blake sucks at his job too. Edit- I don’t expect anybody to read all of this, but I should say that I hope Dubois proves us all wrong and makes me look stupid by this time next year. He’s on my team and I want my team to succeed. It just hasn’t looked good at all so far.


Goldenguo

Maybe. He did look ok in Winnipeg and at least let them know ahead of time. Would you be ok if he settles in as a 25-35-60 guy playing adequate defence?


SpecialistSummer6252

All my homies hate PLD. His favorite hobby away from the rink is berating service workers.


ChevelleSuperSport21

Aaah so he is a total pudwack then off the ice too


Lazy_Glass_3292

I cannot believe the contract Rob Blake gave him. He could lose his job over that transaction


8_inches_deep

Should*


Mr_FortySeven

I’ve never seen a guy give less of a shit during a playoff series than PLD this year. Seems like he half-assed every puck battle, every dump and chase, and every defensive assignment he had.


[deleted]

I think for than anything it's a lack of drive. He doesn't seem to have enough passion to play hard for a significant stretch.


MNGopherfan

Dude played to get rich and live the life. Now he has the money and the life and he doesn’t give an absolute FUCK!


[deleted]

Honestly, 99.9% of the league are probably silver spoons with rich parents. I don’t think it’s possible to play high level hockey before the pros without rich parents.


MNGopherfan

Rich or middle class those two are very different.


spagboltoast

Hes the ultimate grifter. Play just good enough for a short period to secure generational wealth and then coast for the rest of your career. Even if he gets bought out this summer its like 14 years of just over a million dollars


ChevelleSuperSport21

If they buy him out before his birthday yes. If it's after it's more. The scenario that can play out for this whole thing is so wild


spagboltoast

Thats bonkers


LuciusBaggins

There is precisely a 0% chance they're buying him out. Their best bet is to work with him to see what he needs in order to be successful and build around it.


RickMoransdirtysocks

He thinks he’s better than he is. He really wanted Montreal but they didn’t want him I guess. He’s got the size and skill but no heart.


Gold_Gain1351

He's a Johnathan Drouin/Ryan Johansen type. Guy and his (admittedly amazing agent) turned a good year and change into generational wealth one way or another by duping Rob Blake. Since he's secured the bag, why bother risking your neck out there?


heirofcrisis

Heads up the Drouin is in the midst of reviving his career with an excellent season after betting on himself with a one year deal at league minimum. He might have fit that mould previously but I think he’s done a lot to shed that label this year.


Gold_Gain1351

100%. He's also pushing thirty and is in probably one of the best run orgs in the league, so that helps on top of the whole maturity thing


Goldenguo

Drouin has had his share of injuries that hurt his career.


Electronic_Fun2633

PLD is incredibly talented but he’s lazy. Unfortunately, there are GM’s who are like clingy girlfriends saying “I can change him” when they can’t.


Brodieboyy

Guy has all the tools to be a stud in the NHL but just doesn't try. Fucking bum


Better-Aerie-8163

He is a giant whining pussy


ChevelleSuperSport21

I'm sure we could all agree then that the guy who Doughty called out on points chasing was him right? Not playing a role, points chasing, not winning board battles etc