A looming question mark for the Los Angeles Kings and general manager Ken Holland going into the upcoming 2026-27 season is the contract situation with veteran defenseman Drew Doughty.
Sportsnet recently identified eight notable players who could reach unrestricted free agency in the NHL in the 2027 offseason, and Doughty was among them. Even though that doesn't mean that Doughty will leave Los Angeles, it does drive home the point that his contract situation is one of the franchise's most important storylines throughout the upcoming season.
Recent comments from Holland indicate that the Kings' front office is in no rush to give Doughty a contract extension before the start of the upcoming season. Based on Holland's recent comments, it looks like the Kings are comfortable waiting until later in the season, or even after it ends, to begin serious extension talks with Doughty.
"I’m not worried that he’s going to hit the open market, that he’s going to leave, so it’s an opportunity to play the season and at the appropriate time, whether it’s during the season or the end off the season, he and I will sit down and talk about where we’re going."Ken Holland on Drew Doughty
Could Doughty actually leave the Los Angeles Kings?
Doughty has spent his entire NHL career playing for the Kings. He's won two Stanley Cup rings with the Kings and a Norris Trophy. Just as much as any player currently on the Kings' roster, Doughty is a franchise icon in Los Angeles.
Doughty possibly reaching unrestricted free agency next offseason doesn't necessarily mean he intends to leave Los Angeles. But rather, it gives both the Kings and Doughty's camp another season to evaluate where the veteran blue liner fits into the team's long-term plans.
Even though the Kings are now transitioning out of the Anze Kopitar and Doughty era in Los Angeles after Kopitar's retirement this offseason, it's still weird to imagine either one of them wearing a different uniform besides the black and silver.
The 2026-27 season could shape the decision
In this past couple of seasons, Doughty hasn't looked like his usual self. A combination of age, nagging injuries, and a slowdown in performance on the ice has caused Doughty's production to decline in the last couple of years.
Simultaneously, young defenseman Brandt Clarke has developed into one of the top blue-liners in the Pacific Division in the last year or two. Clarke led all Kings' defensemen in points and goals scored this past regular season.
We also don't know how many more seasons Doughty is planning to play in the NHL before he decides to officially hang up his skates for good.
Whether Doughty signs another contract with the Kings or tests the free agent market next offseason, his future in Los Angeles will probably be one of the biggest storylines circulating around the team going into the upcoming 2026-27 season.
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