It's a secret no more.
All-world Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty, from beautiful London, Ontario, is spending some time in Toronto this month, and he joined the folks at TSN's "Leafs Lunch" on Thursday for a chat. Naturally, the topic of playing at home came up, to which Doughty had a most interesting response.
Asked about the up-and-coming kids in the blue and white, Doughty said most players from southern Ontario secretly harbor a desire to suit up for the Toronto Maple Leafs, while also detailing why it's not such a tantalizing proposition.
"I think of all us southern Ontario players, we secretly want to play for the Leafs. You know, we all have that kind of soft spot," Doughty said. "Honestly, I hated the Leafs when I was a kid. I absolutely hated them, always cheered against them. I was on my dad's team, he was a Montreal Canadiens fan, but I watched every Leaf game, and, so, I secretly love the Leafs.
"I think that, yeah, we'd all want to play here especially with the team the way they're getting better and stuff like that, but I think it always comes down to how hard it would be to live in a city being that big of a celebrity," he added. "I'm spoiled In L.A., where I walk anywhere I want and not one person's going to recognize me.
"If you say I did for some reason play for the Leafs I don't know if I could get used to that or not. I think that's the problem, why guys don't sign here."
Two takeaways from Doughty's remarks:
- Playing pro hockey for a living in Los Angeles - the Kings practice a short drive away from Manhattan Beach - has to be one of the greatest experiences one could possibly have in sports.
- Get those blue and white Doughty jerseys ready, Leafs fans!
Doughty's 27 - he'll be 28 in December - and has two seasons left on his contract, which pays him $7 million a season. He'll be an unrestricted free agent at 29.
Everyone knows the Kings have salary cap issues, and everyone knows Toronto needs another top-flight D-man.
Lastly, everyone also knows that Leafs fans are going to probably blow this way out of proportion. So, thanks, Drew.
