Looking at Pierre-Luc Dubois, Washington Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery sees potential, promise and ultimately, a challenge.
This will be Dubois' fourth team in as many years as he tries to find consistency in his game, and Carbery is confident that he will be able to help the 26-year-old get there.
"I love the challenge, and that's my job when we acquire players that have been very productive and have a ton of potential and have shown that potential, that's coaching," Carbery said. "That's what I love to do."
Carbery said that the initial conversations he's had with Dubois, who was acquired in exchange for Darcy Kuemper, have been positive and that his plan is to look forward rather than backward, while also making D.C. a place where Dubois can thrive and play his game.
"Hopefully he comes here and the environment, the team, the coaching staff, it enables him to be very, very productive and reach that potential that everybody has seen," he said, adding, "I won't focus on the L.A. stuff, last year."
Dubois couldn't find his footing and fit in with the Los Angeles Kings, who had signed him to an eight-year deal in 2023 after acquiring him from the Winnipeg Jets, where there were growing tensions over a rocky tenure.
For Carbery, that doesn't matter, and now, it's about him making the most of his time with the Capitals.
"To me, it's him coming to a situation where we've got a ton of opportunity that he can take advantage of and grab onto," Carbery said. "We're going to work with him every single day to try to get the best out of him."
