Drew Doughty
The next two players are the toughest and will probably involve a lot of discussion internally in terms of what they want to do. If the Kings decide they want to move on from one, I could see a situation where they decide to buy out both as a reset for the franchise.
Drew Doughty was the second overall pick by the Los Angeles Kings in 2008 NHL Draft and has spent his entire 17-year career with the Kings. He has played in over 1,200 games and was apart of both Stanley Cup teams.
However, this season he missed a majority of the season due to an ankle injury suffered during the preseason. After his return, he showed flashes of the player he was in years past but for most of the season, particularly in the playoffs, he looked much slower and wasn't making the plays fans were accustomed to seeing from him.
According to Spotrac, Doughty has two years left on his $88 million contract, and if the Kings were to release him, it would result in a total buyout of $14.67 million that could be spread over four seasons. It wouldn't be surprising if the Kings explore trade options, but if they can't find a trade partner, a buyout might be their only option.