The Los Angeles Kings aren’t shopping Drew Doughty, and the message from GM Ken Holland is pretty clear: this is a relationship they expect to keep moving forward.
Doughty, who is soon to turn 37, has already made it known he wants to stay in Los Angeles. Holland said on SiriusXM NHL Network on Saturday that the Kings have no intention of trading him and that extension talks will come later.
“Drew and I met at the end of the year (last season), and I knew Drew was going into the last year contract, and I said, ‘Drew, let’s get into next year.’ Drew told me he doesn’t wanna leave, and I said, ‘I’m not trading ya, forget about whatever clauses you got.’ If he wants to leave, that’s another story, but he doesn’t wanna leave, and he’s obviously come out public in the last couple weeks he wants to play entire career in L.A., wants to sign another contract.”
Holland also said he told Doughty they’d wait to see where both sides stand once the season gets going, then revisit the extension conversation when the timing is right.
Elsewhere, the Washington Capitals appear to be seeking futures if they move Ivan Miroshnichenko. According to David Pagnotta on Kraken Weekly, the fit just isn’t there right now, and Washington is believed to be targeting either high picks or prospects who are one or two years away because the team doesn’t have room.
The Utah Mammoth, meanwhile, could be a team to watch in the goalie market. Ryan O’Hare said it wouldn’t be a surprise if they checked in on Colorado Avalanche goaltender Scott Wedgewood, noting that he could be a starter and that goaltending has been an area of concern at times for Utah.
Karel Vejmelka has struggled, Sebastian Cossa is still young, and Wedgewood is a pending UFA. Even so, it seems unlikely the Avalanche would want to send him to Utah.
In Calgary, the Flames may also be looking to shore up the blue line after losing Kevin Bahl to a ruptured Achilles tendon. Bahl will have surgery and is out for the season. Darren Dreger said Flames GM Craig Conroy could consider adding either a young defenseman or a short-term option, but Calgary won’t make a move just to plug the hole.
In Other News...
Capitals Newcomers Are Fueling This Fast Start In A Big Way
A quick start in Washington has been fueled in large part by the newcomers the Capitals brought in before the season, and the early returns have been hard to miss. Boone Jenner, Jordan Kyrou and Alex Tuch have all blended in quickly, giving the lineup more punch and balance, while defenseman Vincent Desharnais added another layer of size and depth on the back end.
Desharnais is now sidelined after an emergency appendectomy, which has only increased the importance of the teams added depth. Jack St. Ivany, claimed off waivers, has stepped in effectively since arriving, giving Washington another useful piece as the Capitals try to keep the momentum from their fast start going. [Read more 🡒]
Capitals Roster Gamble Just Put More Pressure On Justin Holl
The Capitals used a quick roster shuffle to patch a hole on the blue line, recalling veteran defenseman Justin Holl after the brief departure of goalie Rmi Poirier. Holl brings a long NHL track record with multiple teams, and Washington has already seen him chip in offensively in recent games, which gives the move a little more substance than a simple paper transaction.
Still, the sequence adds another layer of pressure to Holl as he tries to carve out a steadier role in Washington. The Capitals brought in Poirier with a future asset attached, only to move on from the goalie almost immediately, and now the spotlight shifts back to whether Holl can make the most of this opening and give the club the dependable minutes it needs from the back end. [Read more 🡒]