It’s a big season for the Los Angeles Kings after Peter Laviolette was hired as the next coach. There is a lot of work to be done for the Kings under General Manager Ken Holland, at least one more center in the top six. They still have questions at 3c. Scott Laughlin could return, but they need to fill that hole as well. Do they move a defenseman to make room there, and the goaltending position?
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However, as “The Mayor” Jon Hoven said on TFP Hotstove on SiriusXM NHL Network Radio Saturday with Dennis Bernstein, Dave Pagnotta, and Ryan Paton, there is a big question about the backend and the future of Drew Doughty.
Dave Pagnotta: “What is the number one smart list? In this case, is it 1C or 2C?”
Jon Hoven: “Well, Dave, what I can say is that the first issue is a topic that’s really flown under the radar on a national level, and I’ve been saying this as much as possible for the last few weeks. The Drew Doughty situation, because what happened with Drew Doughty has implications that affect every decision that will be made in every other decision.
Drew Doughty being in Los Angeles or not in Los Angeles has a big impact on the wage gap. He’s on $11 million next year. So, what happened to that money? It has to do with being the team captain going into next year, obviously, with the retirement of Anze Kopitar.
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How do you break up the minutes? Brandt Clarke is here. Brandt Clarke is here, and hopefully, if we had some kind of distraction in the room when Holland was talking to Laviolette, hopefully one of those conversations was about Brandt Clarke getting more minutes. He’s here, he’s here, he’s ready to go again. How does that affect Drew Doughty?
Doughty wants to expand and continue his career in Los Angeles. He wants to play another three to four years, which will have to be reduced and at a reduced rate. And if that doesn’t sound very appealing to Drew Doughty, I’d say going to training camp without a contract extension, you definitely won’t. The LA Kings are in a position where they are looking to turn the page, looking to get past the Cup years, Anze Kopitar years, etc.
Just look at what they did with the hiring of Peter Laviolette. They moved away from their original defensive identity. This will be a different team. I’m not saying they’re going to be better, but they’re going to be a different team than they were a few years ago. I can’t tell you what they’re going to look like 30 days from now, but Drew Doughty’s decision affects what they do, including going out and finding that center, because of the results.
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So that’s the first step, and one A, if you want to call it 1b right after it would be what they’re going to do in the middle, because they have limited assets, a few first-round picks, little hope for goals, maybe with limited assets so they can go out and change the deal.
So Ken Holland will have to be very creative to fill all the holes and make all the roster moves he wants to make. “
NHLRumors.com Note: With the style of play Laviolette wants to play, does this allow the Kings to go get a guy like Vincent Trocheck? Are they trying to inquire about Vladislav Gavrikov and bring him back? They don’t have many goods to offer. But it is interesting that the players who meant a lot to the clubs during their Cup years may leave. This is a business, and Drew Doughty is not the player he once was. So the decision they make about him affects a lot of things they can do.
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