Drew Doughty is the longest-tenured member of the Los Angeles Kings after the retirement of longtime captain Anze Kopitar — but there’s no guarantee he will finish his NHL career with the only team he’s ever known.
General manager Ken Holland made some interesting comments regarding the veteran defenseman while speaking to media at the conclusion of the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft on Friday night.
“We did meet with Drew [over the past few weeks],” Holland said in Buffalo, per Daily Faceoff’s Tyler Kuehl. “We’ve agreed that we’re not going to sign him to an extension. He loves it here. He wants to be here. I told him, and we both agreed, let’s see where he’s at, let’s see where the team is at a year from now.”
The executive added: “His desire is to finish as an LA King and only put on one team’s jersey. Certainly, that’s something that I’d like to have happen. But let’s see where he’s at and let’s see where we’re at.”
Doughty is eligible for a contract extension on July 1, and currently has one season remaining on his current deal, which will pay him $11 million in 2026-27.
The 36-year-old is the highest-paid player on the team, along with trade acquisition Artemi Panarin, who is signed for two more years at an $11 million AAV.
As Sportsnet hockey insider Elliotte Friedman reported, Holland will deal with Doughty’s future at the conclusion of next season, “when the franchise cornerstone is eligible to be a free agent.”
Doughty has been a heart and soul player on the Kings’ blue line for nearly two decades, helping the franchise win a pair of Stanley Cups in 2012 and 2014.
Originally selected second overall in the 2008 NHL Draft, he’s accumulated 709 points in 1,279 regular season games, adding another 61 points in 105 postseason contests.
The London, Ontario native is entering the twilight of his career; he just had one of his worst offensive seasons, managing just 23 points in 72 games and going pointless in the Stanley Cup Playoffs as the Kings were swept by the Colorado Avalanche in Round 1.
Still, he is a franchise legend, ranking third all-time in games played, and sixth in assists and points. He’s also a former Norris Trophy winner, having captured the award as the NHL’s best defenseman in 2015-16.
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