- GM Ken Holland says he has talked extension with Drew Doughty but feels no rush to finish it
- Doughty wants to replace Anze Kopitar as captain and retire a King
- Read below for what Doughty said about the captaincy and his contract
Ken Holland is not in a hurry to settle Drew Doughty’s future.
The Kings general manager has talked with Doughty about a new contract, but he feels no pressure to wrap it up, per Mayor’s Manor. Doughty’s current deal runs through 2027, so there is time on the clock.
Those two conversations are tied together. Los Angeles has an open captaincy after Anze Kopitar retired following the 2025-26 season, and Doughty has made it clear he wants the letter.
Asked about the captaincy in his exit interview, Doughty did not dance around it.
“It would mean the world to me to be captain,” Doughty said.
Here is Doughty’s full exit interview:
Doughty also wants to retire in Los Angeles. He is the longest-tenured King now that Kopitar is gone, and he owns the franchise’s defenseman records for games played and points.
There is a catch. Doughty turns 37 in December and is coming off a down year, with 23 points in 72 games. That is a career-low pace. His trip to the Milano-Cortina Olympics ended with one assist and a silver medal.
Naming a captain who is signed for just one more season is a tough sell, which is why the contract comes first. Doughty would have to take a discount from his $11 million cap hit, and he says he is willing.
Pressed on whether there had been any talks, Doughty did not sugarcoat it.
“There’s been absolutely no conversation about it,” he said. “I want to stay here. I would hope that the Kings want me to stay here too. If they approach me to get something done, I’m going to get it done.”
Quinton Byfield, Adrian Kempe and Mikey Anderson are the other names floated for the job. Kempe and Anderson both shifted the question to the group when asked. Doughty was the only one who took it head-on.
John Hoven laid out Holland’s to-do list, the Doughty contract, and the rest of the offseason:
Holland already hired Peter Laviolette as coach. He still has to find a center, fix the defense, and now hand someone the captaincy.
A sit-down with Doughty is next on the list, and the defenseman has already made his case.
