The new Capitals teammates were also roommates during World Juniors.
ARLINGTON, V.A. — Pierre-Luc Dubois has had Dylan Strome on his radar for a while now.
The two were roommates when they both represented Team Canada at World Juniors and now, they're teammates once again as Dubois joins the Washington Capitals.
Beyond that, though, Dubois has also kept his eye on Strome for another reason: the two have quite a bit in common, following different yet still similar paths to D.C., and Dubois is hoping he can take something away from the player who went third overall just one year before he did.
"There's some guys that you always keep tabs on around the league, and he was one of them," Dubois said.
Both Dubois and Strome faced similar situations when it came to their draft organizations. Both struggled to fit in and dealt with adversity and inconsistency with their respective clubs, resulting in trades.
That led Strome from the Arizona Coyotes to the Chicago Blackhawks before general manager Brian MacLellan took a chance on him. As for Dubois, he was traded from the Columbus Blue Jackets to the Winnipeg Jets, who then sent him to the Los Angeles Kings for what they figured would be the next eight years. After one underwhelming season in L.A., he is headed to the Capitals as MacLellan takes a flyer on another up-and-coming center.
Dubois, 26, acknowledged the chance at getting a fresh start, and said he can take a lot away from Strome's situation, too.
"His career, the way he’s progressed, it’s really fun to see and it’s exciting to see, and hopefully I can get there, too," Dubois said.
The 6-foor-4 pivot also said that it'll be fun to reunite with Strome, and that he believes the two can help each other when it comes to solidifying Washington's center corps.
"I’m sure that we’ll push each other and he’ll teach me what he’s learned already, and we’ll be able to have good conversations, but to be able to play with him again will be really fun," Dubois said. "Get to know him again, obviously a little bit different stages in life, but it’ll be exciting."