Capitals Vibe Check: Changes Coming, Dubois' Arrival, Kuemper Moving On & What's Left On The To-Do List

ARLINGTON, V.A. — It's been quite the week for the Washington Capitals.

The team made quite the statement and splash this week by acquiring Pierre-Luc Dubois from the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for Darcy Kuemper.

All the while, they're counting down the days until they head to Las Vegas for the 2024 NHL Draft, which will then be followed by the start of NHL Free Agency and development camp.

So, what's the vibe in D.C.?

Dubois' arrival brings excitement for the organization. The 25-year-old, who went third overall in 2016, is a talented center with "immense potential" but is coming off an underwhelming first year with the Kings where he had just 40 points in 82 games. He also injects more youth into the Capitals, who are very much a team in transition.

Related: Yes, Pierre-Luc Dubois Has A Reputation And Comes With Risk. But That Gamble May Just Be Worth It — And More — For The Capitals

Still, there's no denying that there's uncertainty and questions surrounding the 6-foot-4, 226-pound pivot, who is joining his fourth team in eight years and has struggled to be consistent.

The hope, though, is that, with a bigger role and Spencer Carbery's coaching, he can turn things around and get back to the level of play that made him a 60-plus point player on three different occasions in his still-young career.

This deal also allowed Washington to start looking toward the future in net. Because the Capitals were able to offload Kuemper's contract, Charlie Lindgren will be the No. 1 going into next season and can continue to show what he can do with ice time, and he could even earn himself an extension.

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It also allows Hunter Shepard and Clay Stevenson to take bigger steps in their respective careers, and that goes all the way down the prospect pipeline in net for D.C.

On the other side of the trade, it also gives Kuemper the chance to start fresh and prove he can still be a starter after what he called a "really frustrating" two-year stint in Washington.

Related: Kuemper Reflects On His Tenure With Capitals: 'Really Tough, Really Frustrating At Times'

The Dubois trade is a big move, but I wouldn't expect Washington to be done there. There's still work to do and needs to address, as well as a handful of free agents to address, from Connor McMichael to Beck Malenstyn. And with an influx of centers and questions surrounding T.J. Oshie's future, as well as flexibility to work with, there may be more change coming up front as GMBM considers how he'll move around his forward group with Dubois now in the mix.

All in all, it's an interesting time to be a Capitals fan going into what's sure to be a busy offseason.