Where do you stand on moving Doughty?

[LAKings88]

I want to say first that it is entirely up to Drew if if wants to stay. As of now, who knows?

I’m of the opinion that this year’s team is finally showing its true colors. They are good but not the world beaters they seemed to be over the early stretch. I don’t think they will compete with the Blues, Preds, or a healthy Ducks for that matter. I think the cup years are in the rear view honestly. They may try to wring blood from stone with this core tho.

I think Doughty will be very intrigued by Toronto. Which could put LA in a strange position if/when the time comes to deal him. If he only wants Toronto that could limit what LA gets in return.

LA will never have another player like Drew. He likely could have a Bourque like career and maintain his play for a good 6-8 more seasons. Still be effective even in decline. He could also provide a solid mini rebuild. If retained he is going to make Kopi money.

What do you think? Does he stay? Should LA pay the man what he wants? Is the haul of assets worth it to move him?

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[KingTrouty]

I wouldn't boycott the Kings, but it would cross my mind, briefly. I'd be incensed if we lost him due to our side of the negotiations. He retires a King, you pay the man what the market calls for.

End of story, for me, at least. HE RETIRES A KING

 

[CowMix]

If he is set on testing free agency you are pretty much forced to trade him

 

[lumbergh]

No trade unless Doughty comes out and says he won’t sign.

 

[kingsholygrail]

If Doughty is indicating he wants to move on, you gotta get what you can for him which won't be satisfying.

 

[KingsFan7824]

I'm already tired of the topic. Either way I'm fine. I saw the Cups, he's eventually not going to be a King one day no matter what, so if he wants to go now, go, and if he wants to stay, stay. I don't care. I'm player-drama'd out. I can't do it. Keep him and try to win the next 2 years, then watch him walk. Trade him at this deadline. Wait until next year's deadline when everyone knows he only wants to go to Toronto and get screwed in a deal. Sign him to the biggest and longest possible contract a player can get at the moment he signs the deal, and completely mess up the cap situation for the next decade. It is all good.

I can't do the reading between lines to try and figure out what he means or what he doesn't. I can't do the damned if you do, damned if you don't scenario. The sooner it's over, one way or the other, the better. Doughty and Blake need to choose what they want to do, and do it quickly. Road A, road B, pick one. Go home, stay here, whatever.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

We're not getting a ransom back from him pretty much no matter what.

He leaves, and you spend the next 40 years looking for a similar player.

I'm different than most posters here, though. I'd rather Kopitar, Doughty, Brown, Quick be Kings for life and continue to build around them. We may never get back to the top of the hill, but neither did Gretzky, and many others won't period. McDavid can't even save the Oilers. I'd much rather have a team with players I love continue to be competitive than do the hindsight smart thing and trade them while their asset value is max and get everything back in return.

I think if we're flat out out of the playoff race at his final deadline and he flat out says "yeah, I'm not coming back," then you move him. That's about it.

 

[ScoreZeGoals]

Sign him or trade him this offseason, period. I 100% want him back, but this cannot drag on.

 

[Sol]

He's gone for sure.

 

[Sol]

Can we even afford him?

 

[King'sPawn]

Win another cup with him this year. Worry about moving/signing him in the offseason.

 

[kingsfan28]

He will be a King for life and all he wants to see is that the Kings stay competitive. Him and EK will both make 10-12 mil range and it wouldn't surprise me if they both signed for the same amount.

 

[damacles1156]

If Doughty wants to stay, sign him and be done with it. Deal with the cap later cause Doughty is worth it. If Doughty wants to test Free Agency, Blake needs to do what's best for the Kings and trade him.

 

[riznat]

You don't trade him unless he won't re-sign. I want 8 in the rafters and to only ever be a king. I think I'd take that over another cup or 2 to be honest. He's a special player and he should always be our player, even if the cap hit will suck or trading him brings in a haul. Players like him are what build the history and character of a franchise, keep him.

 

[The Tikkanen]

Given this teams history with losing great players with mediocre returns and given Doughty is part of the team's turn to becoming 2 time Cup Champs the Kings need to do whatever it takes to make sure he retires a King. At some point you need to bite the bullet and pay great players a great amount of money to show other NHL players there is loyalty here if you produce and win. When I read the posts about trading Doughty I just think about Larry Murphy, Marty McSorley, Paul Coffey and Rob Blake.

 

[kings11]

Given this teams history with losing great players with mediocre returns and given Doughty is part of the team's turn to becoming 2 time Cup Champs the Kings need to do whatever it takes to make sure he retires a King. At some point you need to bite the bullet and pay great players a great amount of money to show other NHL players there is loyalty here if you produce and win. When I read the posts about trading Doughty I just think about Larry Murphy, Marty McSorley, Paul Coffey and Rob Blake.

Add in
Darryl Sydor
Alexei Zhitnik
The Pick aka Ray Bourque
Fooooook nvm I’m just getting depressed

 

[Butch 19]

I'm gonna tell him that I'll be out of town that weekend, but he can borrow my truck if he wants to.

the curse of truck ownership

 

[Shellz]

You don't trade him unless he won't re-sign. I want 8 in the rafters and to only ever be a king. I think I'd take that over another cup or 2 to be honest. He's a special player and he should always be our player, even if the cap hit will suck or trading him brings in a haul. Players like him are what build the history and character of a franchise, keep him.

Is that you, Dean?

 

[Sol]

Is it possible to give him that kind of a contract without cutting out other players?

 

[kings11]

Is it possible to give him that kind of a contract without cutting out other players?

A resurgent Brown and Gaborik will be easier to unload if they decide to go that route as would unloading Muzzin and Amart for ELC Dmen like Thomas Chabot on top of LaDue, Gravel and Clague....

 

[kingsboy11]

I fear we'll be having another Kopitar contract discussion in the coming year and we all know how everyone felt about that and I feel a similar situation will happen with Doughty in the end and will resign.

 

[Herby]

Blake will offer him a contract to make him the highest paid d-man in the league, if Drew doesn't accept it then the writing is on the wall that he wants to go home and Blake has to move him, the decision is going to be made by Doughty not Blake.

You bring up a good point about the market being limited because people will know he's a rental, but still we are talking about Drew Doughty here. Maybe a team like Nashville thinks he puts them over the top and they go all-in next season, same could be said for St. Louis and Washington. Even Toronto may want to have him in house and locked up rather than waiting. The Kings won't get full value for him, but the return will still be massive.

It just all depends on what is most important to Drew.

Does he value playing his entire career with one team or is that just overrated fan talk?
Does he like making $10+ mill a year living in relative obscurity or does he want to go home and have a chance to be a rock star in a hockey mad town?

 

[Vamos Rafa]

I fear we'll be having another Kopitar contract discussion in the coming year and we all know how everyone felt about that and I feel a similar situation will happen with Doughty in the end and will resign.

Kopitar is from Slovenia. There's no NHL team there. Doughty is from Ontario. There's a couple of NHL teams there.

 

[Sol]

Blake will offer him a contract to make him the highest paid d-man in the league, if Drew doesn't accept it then the writing is on the wall that he wants to go home and Blake has to move him, the decision is going to be made by Doughty not Blake.

You bring up a good point about the market being limited because people will know he's a rental, but still we are talking about Drew Doughty here. Maybe a team like Nashville thinks he puts them over the top and they go all-in next season, same could be said for St. Louis and Washington. Even Toronto may want to have him in house and locked up rather than waiting. The Kings won't get full value for him, but the return will still be massive.

It just all depends on what is most important to Drew.

Does he value playing his entire career with one team or is that just overrated fan talk?
Does he like making $10+ mill a year living in relative obscurity or does he want to go home and have a chance to be a rock star in a hockey mad town?

Great point Herby, Kings should negotiate right now, and offer him what he's worth, and if he doesn't accept, then move him asap. I don't think you can negotiate with a player like Doughty. It's important to get the time consuming bs out of the way. Offer what he's worth and put the ball in his court.

Big part of me believes Doughty wants to be out and have more recognition.

 

[mrkolice]

i just hope he stays, one way or another. my feeling is that a lot of his trash talk lately is just a part of negotiations, and yes, sometimes it's kind of sick to listen to it. he can be brutally sincere, but hey, it's a men's game. i also remember him being a great team guy, not so long ago.
i agree with the public opinion that it's up to him, bottomline it's his decision. he himself must weight the pros and cons. and if i understand correctly, his motivation is not $$$, just respect and winning more cups. he knows he is bigger than life. here he is god and he knows lak can win again. so why leave? will he gamble all that reputation and success for one unknown adventure and losing what he built here in all these years? anyhow, i believe he will stay, one way or another. probably it will get nasty, like with all old couples, but he will stay.