With the Blue Jays having a few days off for the All-Star break, Drew Doughty had some free time on his hands. So, he lobbed us a call to chat about a myriad of topics. We’ll get to some of the other stuff later. But right out of the gate, two of the areas we discussed centered on contracts – one that’s already done and another in the works.
“I think it’s just awesome,” Doughty said, in response to Jonathan Quick‘s new 10-year deal.
He went on to say he wasn’t surprised by the length of the contract though. “I know Quickie loves playing in LA. He loves everything about it – the fans, the city, the team, the organization. It was great to see that we could lock him up for 10 years because he was our best player all season. Without him we wouldn’t have had any of the success we did. For me, it’s also awesome to think about how long I have left on my contract and I’m excited at the thought of playing all those years with Quickie.”
Given Doughty’s prolonged contract situation last summer, was he concerned about a possible repeat developing this year between Quick and GM Dean Lombardi?
“Yeah, I thought there was a chance that could happen,” Doughty admitted. “It’s great to see that the team and Quickie came to an agreement though. Obviously, he could be making a lot more. He kind of did the opposite of me, he took a couple less dollars for the team. And that’s a great job by him.”
The mega-deal for Quick hasn’t been the only contract Lombardi has secured since the Kings won the Cup. The team has also re-upped with Colin Fraser and Dustin Penner.
“I know all of us are really excited to be back,” exclaimed Doughty. “We developed that chemistry on and off the ice. We’re like brothers on the team. So, to have every single guy back – every single guy meant so much to our Cup run last year – we’re just excited to get next year started and we want to win another one.”
Which brought us to the hot topic of the week – the possibility of Phoenix Coyotes captain Shane Doan becoming a member of the Kings.
“It’s crazy to think about, given all the bad blood in the playoffs,” Doughty began, as he assessed the situation. “But, that’s playoff hockey. You’re going to play as hard as you can and do anything you can to win. He wanted it just as bad as everyone on our team did. To possibly have him on our team would be great. He’s been a great player in the league for so long, he’s a leader on and off the ice, just a great guy to have in the room.”
Like Penner told us earlier in the week, Doughty already knows what he’d do if Doan and the Lombardi can agree on a free agent contract.
“I’d do what I could to get a hold of his number. I played with him at the World Championships (2009), where he was my captain. He was a great guy and every time we play against them or when I see him other places, we always make sure to have a chat. So, I’d definitely try to reach out to him and welcome him to the Kings.”
The two haven’t spoken since the playoffs ended. However, Doughty is headed to Alberta tomorrow for the annual Calgary Stampede. Doan grew up a few hours away in Halkirk and he’s known to be a bit of a rancher himself. Who knows, maybe they’ll run into each other. Perhaps they’ll even be teammates by the time it happens.
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Excellent reporting.
Quickie’s Contract: Interesting perspective from Drew; what a difference a year makes.
Doan: I would love to see him join the Kings. In addition to his on ice assets, it would give the Kings an especially “hungry” component in the room.
Mayor: Thanks for all you do!
“Yeah, I thought there was a chance that could happen,” Doughty admitted. “It’s great to see that the team and Quickie came to an agreement though. Obviously, he could be making a lot more. He kind of did the opposite of me, he took a couple less dollars for the team. And that’s a great job by him.”
Am I the only one who raised an eyebrow at this quote from DD? Was he making a joke or am I just not understanding what he means? Sounds like he’s openly admitting that he’s all about the money… which is obvious, but to say it out loud… ?
i think he was totally serious, but signing to a team that has done nothing but struggle for years is alot different than signing for a stanley cup champion. once a team wins, it is more about keeping something good together, than signing for a team that can’t even make the playoffs. Most would want a bit more to stay on a losing team. makes it a bit easier. I don’t consider it greedy, just compensation for the misery.
Definitely did the same double-take on that quote…
It sounds weird to a fan but I’m sure the players understand it’s a business and don’t have a problem with another player getting as much as he can, especially considering the league’s new CBA first offer. Also, Doughty is worth every penny and the goalie market isn’t as strong anyways, so of course he’s gonna be paid more/ year.