DOUGHTY PESSIMISTIC ON RESUMPTION OF PLAY

LOS ANGELES, CA -- The general optimism expressed by those who believe the NHL will resume the 2019-20 season at some point is not shared by Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty.

Doughty was made available via conference call Monday and shared his views on a myriad of subjects but his take on the resumption of play was the most prominent.

“I don’t see how this season is going to return,” he said in a 30-minute conference call. “I don’t see how or when we can make a decision to return and then you have to figure out the logistics.”

Furthermore, Doughty believes that if play were to resume, he questions the legitimacy of the awarding the Stanley Cup with the assumption that an 82-game regular season would not be completed.

“In all seriousness, it’s not gonna be like winning a real Stanley Cup,” he said.

With the Kings a very unlikely post-season participant if play is to resume, Doughty admittedly is in post-season mode. He has returned with his wife and two kids to his home in London, Ontario without his hockey equipment and his tone was distinctly one that sounded like he had played his final game of the 2019-20 season.

But not all the conversation revolved around his pessimism on resuming this season, as Doughty revealed he believes he could have a future in broadcasting and his dream is to own a junior’s team once his playing days are over.

From a team perspective, Doughty pointed to Matt Roy and Adrian Kempe as emerging players in the Kings struggling season. They closed with a rush, winning their last seven games and the hope is that with additional seasoning and a further influx of young talent, the team can emerge from the valley that saw them missing the playoffs for consecutive seasons for the first time since the 2007-08 and 2008-09 seasons.

“(Roy) impressed me. Has more offensive upside than I first realized. Don’t know how he ended up as a plus, and stealing all the plusses from me. He’s a keeper though, should be part of our team for many years,” Doughty said in a cheeky assessment of Roy’s play.

The Kings will need further progression from the likes of Roy and Kurtis MacDermid, who signed a two-year, $1.75 million contract extension this past weekend.

With Joakim Ryan and Ben Hutton scheduled to be unrestricted free agents this summer, Doughty will likely be heading up an even younger blueline corps next season, but said he is looking forward to having prospects Tobias Bjornfot, Mikey Anderson and Kale Clague making the team next season.

Listen to Doughty’s full interview with the media HERE.