Los Angeles Kings veteran Drew Doughty shared his thoughts on his future moving forward with the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday, with his contract coming to an end next season.
After the Los Angeles Kings' season ended on Sunday afternoon, with a 4-0 sweep by the Colorado Avalanche in the first round of the playoffs, we heard from the Kings players on Wednesday morning as they gave their end-of-season exit interviews.
Drew Doughty was one of the first players to give an interview and reflected on his long-term future with the Kings and where he wants to finish his career. After admitting that he had a disappointing season this year with the Kings and didn't pan out the way he wanted to, the 36-year-old said he still wants to stay in Los Angeles for the foreseeable future and will sign an extension if presented with one.
Doughty signed an 8-year, $88 million contract extension with the Los Angeles Kings on July 1, 2018, that includes a $11 million cap hit per season and runs through the 2026-27 season.
Since signing that contract, the Kings have missed the playoffs three times and been eliminated in the first round in five consecutive seasons over the last eight.
Clearly, it hasn't been the success Doughty was hoping for, and he even said in his exit interview that he doesn't have answers as to why LA can't get past the 1st round. Los Angeles hasn't won a playoff series since winning the Stanley Cup title back in 2014.
The team has clearly gone downhill since then, not having a direction as to where they want to go as a franchise, whether that's rebuilding, competing for the playoffs time and time again, but losing in the first round and staying mediocre.
Now, with all that being said, the question remains, will the Kings offer Doughty an extension or contract after next season, because as of now, there has been no conversation about it. But Doughty still wants to stay with the franchise and hopes LA wants him here, too.
For the 2025-26 season, Doughty finished with six goals, 21 assists, and 27 points in 81 games played. A big drop from his numbers the previous season, so the decline is clearly there, and will it get worse next season?
The Kings are likely waiting to see how the Canadian defenseman plays in his final year under contract, then assess his performance and extend a contract. It's a smart move given Doughty's age, and LA doesn't want to risk overpaying a guy who isn't playing at the same level he was a few years ago.
But all we can do is wait, as free agency officially opens on July 1st at 9:00 AM PT, where players will be on the market. So, will the Kings offer an extension to Doughty, or will they pivot to a different situation?
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.