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LA Kings to strip Dustin Brown of captaincy

By Pamela Rios

Apr 4, 2016; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Los Angeles Kings forward Dustin Brown (23) skates against the Vancouver Canucks during the first period at Rogers Arena. The Vancouver Canucks won 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Anne-Marie Sorvin-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 4, 2016; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Los Angeles Kings forward Dustin Brown (23) skates against the Vancouver Canucks during the first period at Rogers Arena. The Vancouver Canucks won 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Anne-Marie Sorvin-USA TODAY Sports /
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On Friday morning, it was announced by several media sources that Los Angeles Kings forward Dustin Brown would not be captain of the team come next season.

Though it has yet to be confirmed by the organization itself, the news does not come as a shocker for anyone who has followed the 31-year-old’s significant decrease in production with the team over the last few seasons.

His 2015-2016 regular season campaign saw the forward tally only 11 goals and 29 points in 82 games, a far cry from 2011-2012 campaign where he scored 50-plus points.

Frank Seravalli of TSN stated that the organization reportedly informed Brown of their intentions “to go in a different direction with the ‘C’”.

The move may also be seen as an attempt to provide a change in the team’s chemistry, which failed to be reliable enough to lead the team into the post-season last year and past the first round of the playoffs this year.

For many fans, the change will be a tough pill to swallow.

Since the start of his tenure as Kings captain in 2008, Brown has led the LA Kings to two Western Conference titles and two Stanley Cup Championships, both in 2012 and 2014.

With Brown’s demotion everyone’s mind will now take the mindset the of captain of the team.

The most probable successor to Brown would be Anze Kopitar, whom the team just signed to a new 8-year, $80M contract extension earlier this year.

The 28-year-old has long been considered worthy of bearing the ‘C’, as he has been perhaps the team’s most consistently effective player alongside Drew Doughty.

This year, Kopitar put in a stellar season regular that has put him in the running for the Selke, as the league’s best two-way centerman, and Lady Byng trophies.

It is not yet certain exactly what Brown’s role on the team will be next season should he stay.

Brown’s $5.875M average-per-year contract is expected to run through to the 2021 season.

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He underwent minor wrist surgery earlier this month and is not expected to miss the team’s training camp later during the summer.

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