Following the unceremonious conclusion in the West to the 2025-26 season in the Pacific Division this postseason in the playoffs vs. the Colorado Avalanche, the Los Angeles Kings have to find a new direction as a franchise. The Kings are now without a captain and a head coach behind the bench this upcoming offseason in the summer of 2026.
Legendary Kings' center captain Anze Kopitar officially retired at the end of the 2025-26 season, which means the team's captain spot in the active roster lineup is now up for an open decision this upcoming offseason.
The Kings can take a different route to name a captain in the active roster lineup this upcoming offseason. The Kings could name a player with proven experience and a veteran presence in the locker room or a younger player in the active roster lineup this upcoming offseason in 2026 as the franchise's next captain.
I think the best choice that the Kings have to be named the next captain in the active roster lineup for the team this upcoming offseason in the West would either be veteran defenseman Drew Doughty or forward Adrian Kempe.
For over two decades in the league in the NHL in the West, Doughty has been a key figure on the blue line on defense in the zone for the Kings team. He's helped the Kings win multiple Stanley Cup championships, and he won the Norris Trophy in the 2015-16 season for the franchise.
The type of grit and consistency on the blue line on defense that Doughty has played with for the Kings in the zone in this past couple of decades in the West shows he deserves the recognition in the Pacific Division.
Devin Fenwick of The Hockey News named Doughty as the player for the Kings in the active roster lineup who would be one of the best candidates with veteran experience and a proven track record on the blue line on defense for LA to be the next captain this upcoming offseason in 2026.
The type of respect and presence that Doughty has with the Kings on the ice and in the locker room already makes him potentially the most viable candidate to be the next captain for the Kings this upcoming offseason in 2026.
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