Kings' Pierre-Luc Dubois Already Hearing the Trade Rumors

The Los Angeles Kings are expected to make major changes this offseason after once again not meeting expectations and getting sent him in the first-round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Pierre-Luc Dubois could be dead smack in the middle of them.

Dubois had a horrible season. After be acquired by the Kings in a blockbuster deal with the Winnipeg Jets, to then being signed to a massive eight-year contract extension before even suiting up, Dubois went on to record just 40 points in 82 regular season games and added only one goal in five Stanley Cup Playoff games. Not good enough.

The trade talks have already started to ramp up in LA, as Blake is going to try and acquire a goaltender but also may have to rid himself of Dubois before things go even further south. The trade value has certainly decreased drastically after his first season as a King, but now it's about getting the contract off the books more than anything.

Dubois commented on his season at the Kings' end of season media presser and had this to say:

I'm committed to having a better season. I'll do anything to be better. I know I can do better. My first year in Winnipeg didn't go well, it was kind of the same thing - a lot of new things, new role, new everything. I didn't panic, I knew what I could do. ... I'm not panicking, I'm not stressed. Is it frustrating? Sure. Is it hard? Yeah. It was eight months or a year ago I was playing how I can play. It's not lost. I gotta get back to it, and that's on me. I played on a lot of lines this year. I think any player, at the end of the day, wants consistency because then you can build some chemistry and you can get things rolling. I think that's not a secret. ... That helps a lot. Next year's a new year. We'll see what happens. The only thing I can control is how good of a summer I can have. (Outlook on his Kings' future?) I can't. It's not in my control. I'm a firm believer in everything happens for a reason. ... I can't sit here and give you any more than that.

Interesting take on Dubois to blame the coach and shuffling the lines too many times for the lack of production. It's going to be an offseason for the ages in LA.

Photo credit:  Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports