Los Angeles Kings: 4 Reasons They Should Hold onto Drew Doughty

L.A. Kings management is still playing a game of chicken with their star defenseman Drew Doughty.

Doughty was reportedly being offered a long term deal worth $6.8 million, the same amount as top forward Anze Kopitar.

GM Dean Lombardi does not feel Doughty has earned the right to be paid better than Kopitar because he simply is not better than him yet.

Lombardi does make a good argument, but he can’t afford to lose out on his top defenseman’s services for the season.

Let’s look at 4 reasons the Kings need to hold onto Drew Doughty.

Doughty's Potential

Drew Doughty is on the cusp of being a top-tier defenseman in the NHL and a player to build a team around. The Kings can’t afford to lose a player that’s close to becoming one of the top-five defensemen in the league and a perennial Norris Trophy candidate.

At just 21, Doughty already has an Olympic Gold Medal and a 59 point season under his belt.

Players of his caliber only come around once in a very long while. That once in a while will probably be a lottery pick in the draft one year, something the Kings won’t happen upon for a long time.

Trade Value

People often say the team that receives the best player in the trade is the team that won the trade.

Doughty would most likely be the best player in any trade.

The Kings would probably receive high draft picks and prospects for him. Picks and prospects would not be the immediate help the Kings require.

Another thought is Lombardi would get lowballed in the offers for him because of the bind he has been put in.

L.A.'s Defense

What would happen to the Kings’ defense corps should Doughty sit for the year or get shipped to another team?

Many would say the defense would be able to withstand the loss as it’s one of the best defense groups in the league.

Doughty’s absence would leave Jack Johnson as the sole defenseman on the team that could produce offense.

L.A’s powerplay was not a sight to behold even with Doughty in the lineup. Taking him out could turn that powerplay into a downright disaster.

Timing

This situation could not have come at a worse time for Los Angeles.

With the addition of Mike Richards and another year of growth for the youngsters, the Kings figure to be in the mix to compete for the Stanley Cup this season.

Take Doughty out of the picture and that dream slips away. The Kings go from being a great team, a possible division winner, to a good team that would probably earn one of the lower seeds in the playoffs.