Los Angeles Kings: Drew Doughty entertains leaving Kings

Drew Doughty has been a staple of the Los Angeles Kings’ defense for nine seasons now. However, recent comments may spell his departure.

Over the weekend Los Angeles Kings fans collectively felt a pit in their stomach as some disconcerting quotes came out of the Kings practice facility. In an interview with The Hockey News, Kings star defenseman commented that when his contract was up in 2019 he wanted to play with a contender not specifically naming the Kings.

Doughty was quoted saying:

"“I’d love to re-sign in L.A. But if our team isn’t going in the right direction … I want to win Cups. I don’t give a [expletive] where I play.”"

The reason Kings fan might be nervous because the Kings are coming off a tumultuous off-season saw the end of an era. The only general manger Doughty knew Dean Lombardi was fired along with coach Darryl Sutter who helped blossom Doughty into one of the top defensemen in the NHL. The pair helped lead the Kings their first two Stanley Cups and made them perennial contenders.

Now the Los Angeles Kings are in a different place and seemingly in decline as younger teams like the Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames, and Doughty’s home town Toronto Maple Leafs are ascending to the upper echelon of the NHL.

Teams like these with a great young core and some money could swoop in and essentially lure away the Kings greatest defenseman in franchise history.

When questioned about his quotes by the Los Angeles media at the Kings training camp Doughty tried to walk back some of the things he said, stating:

"“I don’t regret the things that I said, but at the same time, I want to be an L.A. King for my entire career. That’s the bottom line. From the bottom of my heart, that is the entire truth…and I don’t want to win a Cup anywhere but in L.A.”"

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If the Kings are going to get back to the Cup contender status it will be with coach John Stevens who was elevated from assistant to head coach after Sutter’s firing. Stevens is often credited for turning Doughty from score first type defenseman into the all around player that helped Doughty win the Norris Trophy in 2016, the award for the NHL’s top defenseman.

Doughty emphasized that individually he will have to take on more of a leadership role fore a team that’s missed the playoffs twice in the last three seasons.

"“It’s my responsibility, along with other players on the team, to bring our team back to that time when we were winning Cups,” Doughty said. “I take that full responsibility. I’m going to do everything in my power to bring us back to that level, along with other teammates. But it’s my responsibility to take our team back to where we need to be, and I’m determined to do that.”"

In their past when mired in mediocrity Kings fans were used to seeing players that blossomed into stars, leave for greener pastures. After witnessing the Kings “golden age,” one can’t help but to wonder will Doughty abandon the only team he’s ever known.

Next: Brandon Ingram has reportedly grown two inches

If he Doughty does leave will his departure engineer a new period of mediocrity for the team, only time will tell.

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