As far as Luc Robitaille is concerned, Drew Doughty's long-term future is with the Los Angeles Kings.
The team's president appeared on TSN1050 in Toronto on Thursday and expressed extreme confidence in being able to lock up the star defenseman, who can become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2019.
"No, there’s never even a question in our mind - Drew’s going to be a King and he’s going to be with us," Robitaille said. "He’s a very special player. He plays with an extreme amount of passion. He’s one of those guys that, you know, he found a way that whether he gets a goal or not, he plays the game so well at both ends. He’s definitely, for us, the best defenseman in the league in his own end, and I’m not even talking about what he does offensively."
Doughty made waves earlier this season when he said he and Erik Karlsson deserve more money than P.K. Subban, and that he didn't know if he'll re-sign with the Kings.
Robitaille understands Doughty's worth and seems intent on doing whatever it takes to retain the Stanley Cup and Norris Trophy winner.
"He’s one of those very special players. We wouldn’t be where we’re at today without him and we know we can’t have success without him. So in our mind, he’s with us. He’s going to stay with us. We’ll figure out a way."
Doughty carries a cap hit of $7 million through to the end of next season, while Subban's $9-million cap hit ranks the highest among all defensemen.