Does Doughty have the worst contract in the NHL?

[Anguyen92]

Doughty hasnt been good the last 2 seasons and has rightly earned a good deal of criticism, but what I find hilarious is that a lot of the people who say he has been among the worst defensemen in the league or he has the worst contract refuse to say the same for Karlsson because "he could bounce back and be elite again" or something

It's funny how they say that regarding Karlsson, even though he has had his fair shares of recent injuries and it's really hard to tell if he can get a bounce back year. I think those people expect more from Doughty because he has been relatively healthy and has been paid a lot.

At this point, I think Doughty has a better shot of bouncing back than Karlsson. I hope Matta can be the guy that can get Doughty motivated to play a solid game for long minutes.

 

[DoktorJeep]

Blake should have taken a hard line with Doughty, just like DL should have done with Kopitar. Kopitar is worth $8.9m and Doughty is the same. The comparables should have been Bergeron and Chara.

 

[Lt Dan]

I judge people based on expectations and results. I understand when others look at context and nuance when making their own judgment and don’t discount their opinions. So I don’t disagree with any of the points you made, but the bottom line for me is Blake’s Kings teams have been disappointing at best and terrible for the majority of his time in charge.

There is zero evidence for Blake having any successful moves to acquire NHL level players. There are many misses in the list of decisions about players who aren’t entry level contracts. Blake came into the GM job saying the Kings are a team he expects to make the playoffs and go on a deep run. That turned out wrong.

I have no grudge against Blake. I didn’t care when he was brought back as a player and started to work for the team. I never booed him and clapped at his Jersey retirement night. I was already an adult when he was first traded, so I was over any illusions about the business side of sports. I was upset at the Kings for being cheapskates and operating like a bush league franchise with their MVP who was a top 5 defenseman in the league. The last player I remember holding a grudge against was Rick Tocchet because the Kings traded my favorite player for him.

My core concern about Blake is a lack in confidence in his skills at building a competitive team. His actions to date have shown poor vision and a tendency to make moves around the edges of problems. It was the same concern and frustration I had with Dave Taylor. So far, Blake’s path is not too different from DTs. They share a lot of the same issues.

I think you are pretty far off with the Dave Taylor comparisons.

But back to Blake.

You mention bad contacts, but you don't give him credit for what those contracts turned in to.

What would you have done if you were Blake after his first season of 98 points and losing in the first round to the eventual Western Conference champion?
The team looked to be a sniper away from winning a playoff round and Kovalchuk only costed cap space
He tried and it didn't work. At least he tried

Let's compare his first 3 seasons to Lombardi's though

The first season, both tried to compete with what they inherited.
Then started a rebuild.

We absolutely have a better prospect pool now than the franchise has ever had, a much better pool than we did in 2008-2009

Kings Top 20 Prospects, Fall 2008 - Hockey's Future



Sure we have the benefit on hindsight, but can you really say that 2008 is a better pool than 2020?
2008

2020

 

[joe dirte]

Lol not even remotely close to the worst contract. I'd still take Drew over most Defenseman in the NHL simply because we all know what he's capable of when he's at his best.

I do'nt know about most, with the contract, but easily over many listed there, and without a doubt Karlsson.

 

[cyclones22]

You'll be shocked--SHOCKED--to learn that the author of this article is the one that has been consistently shitting on "Due" Doughty since Erik Karlsson started putting up points.

You'll also be "surprised" to know he doesn't have EK anywhere on his top-1o. Or Bobrovsky. Or myriad others. It's just his usual "crap on defensive defensemen" act to try to shoehorn WAR-related stats into the mainstream while shitting all over Drew.

I didn't even need to click on the link to know who you were talking about and that it would be that Domb-ass. He's been trashing Drew for years, even when he was undoubtedly the best defender in the league.

 

[Lt Dan]

I do'nt know about most, with the contract, but easily over many listed there, and without a doubt Karlsson.

Life's a garden, dig it.

 

[joe dirte]

Doughty has definitely been mailing it in

Not making excuses but he is likely very frustrated. His partners keep getting worse and worse and he wants to win.
Hopefully he can realize that this team is at about the 2009 level and there will be some chances to win again in a few seasons

It kind of makes you wonder, maybe he knows if he mails it in for a year or two he'll get a few players like Quinton Byfield to play with.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Doughty hasnt been good the last 2 seasons and has rightly earned a good deal of criticism, but what I find hilarious is that a lot of the people who say he has been among the worst defensemen in the league or he has the worst contract refuse to say the same for Karlsson because "he could bounce back and be elite again" or something

It's funny how they say that regarding Karlsson, even though he has had his fair shares of recent injuries and it's really hard to tell if he can get a bounce back year. I think those people expect more from Doughty because he has been relatively healthy and has been paid a lot.

At this point, I think Doughty has a better shot of bouncing back than Karlsson. I hope Matta can be the guy that can get Doughty motivated to play a solid game for long minutes.

That's my thing. They don't even factor the fact that Drew is actually on the ice playing big minutes. EK has missed like 2/3 of his last few seasons with injury and then half the time he's been hammered dog shit. They're all giving him a pass because he's elite for 20 games a season right now.

They always punish Drew for playing large, hard matchup minutes in 98% of his possible NHL games and discount everything but 17 games Karlsson played in 2017 under a full moon with his goalies posting 97% sv% behind him. And that's even without talking about Bobrovsky and the other big bomb contracts that have no shot of ever being worth it. ANYONE would have offered Drew the same money.

 

[Anguyen92]

ANYONE would have offered Drew the same money.

On top of that, if we didn't offer Doughty that money and another team did, I will guarantee this subforum would go crazy over why Blake didn't resign Doughty if we have the space.

 

[Lt Dan]

It kind of makes you wonder, maybe he knows if he mails it in for a year or two he'll get a few players like Quinton Byfield to play with.

I can absolutely empathize with him though. No matter how hard he tries , he can't will the team to the playoffs. Giving 111% and possibly shortening his career isn't going to will the current Kings make the playoffs or win another cup like it did from 2012-2014.

I just hope he gets his ass back in gear

 

[joe dirte]

View attachment 375388

I can absolutely empathize with him though. No matter how hard he tries , he can't will the team to the playoffs. Giving 111% and possibly shortening his career isn't going to will the current Kings make the playoffs or win another cup like it did from 2012-2014.

I just hope he gets his ass back in gear

yeah, it would be nice to see him get back to being the best dman in the NHL again. I'm not so sure he can do it, but top 10 would be nice anyway.

It is funny though, if he mails it in, the Kings are a legit contender for a top 3 pick. If he turns it on, they're a playoff team. Add a few elite prospects/players, and he turns it on, and it could be quite the turnaround. The Kings have a fricken basketfull of elite prospects. It could be interesting as these guys transition into the NHL. Boatloads of capspace, and more coming when Carter and Brown are off the books too. I can easily see them dipping into free agency next year and the year after in a big way.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

yeah, it would be nice to see him get back to being the best dman in the NHL again. I'm not so sure he can do it, but top 10 would be nice anyway.

It is funny though, if he mails it in, the Kings are a legit contender for a top 3 pick. If he turns it on, they're a playoff team. Add a few elite prospects/players, and he turns it on, and it could be quite the turnaround. The Kings have a fricken basketfull of elite prospects. It could be interesting as these guys transition into the NHL. Boatloads of capspace, and more coming when Carter and Brown are off the books too. I can easily see them dipping into free agency next year and the year after in a big way.

And that's how good Drew is.

He plays 30 minutes a game. He's got Norris votes whether the team was good or bad. When it's good, it's in large part because of him; when it's bad, it's in large part because of him. Obviously Kopitar is the other underrated megastar dragging the Kings along, but those guys make this team either a playoff team or a just-outside team when they're playing well. They basically dragged this team kicking and screaming into the playoffs with a 37 point Kempe as the 2c. In Doughty's only playoff game missed, the de facto top pairing put up a 25% and 33% CF% in his absence; Doughty was nearly 60% for the series, which was a sweep against. One even strength goal for against the entire series, thanks to f***in Toby Reider. The guy's career is criminally underrated at this stage and you would think by the popular narrative that he's been a garbage-tier d-man for years when really he should have had another Norris a year and a half ago.

Really, really hope he's more fondly looked upon by the hockey world post-retirement because people have been trying to write him out of the generational d-man conversation since his first Cup when it's VERY apparent* this generation's legends were/are Keith, Karlsson, Doughty (and now Hedman).



*apparent to anyone that's not an Ottawa fan, half of SJ's fans, a TB fan, or most Swedes.

 

[joe dirte]

And that's how good Drew is.

He plays 30 minutes a game. He's got Norris votes whether the team was good or bad. When it's good, it's in large part because of him; when it's bad, it's in large part because of him. Obviously Kopitar is the other underrated megastar dragging the Kings along, but those guys make this team either a playoff team or a just-outside team when they're playing well. They basically dragged this team kicking and screaming into the playoffs with a 37 point Kempe as the 2c. In Doughty's only playoff game missed, the de facto top pairing put up a 25% and 33% CF% in his absence; Doughty was nearly 60% for the series, which was a sweep against. One even strength goal for against the entire series, thanks to f***in Toby Reider. The guy's career is criminally underrated at this stage and you would think by the popular narrative that he's been a garbage-tier d-man for years when really he should have had another Norris a year and a half ago.

Really, really hope he's more fondly looked upon by the hockey world post-retirement because people have been trying to write him out of the generational d-man conversation since his first Cup when it's VERY apparent* this generation's legends were/are Keith, Karlsson, Doughty (and now Hedman).



*apparent to anyone that's not an Ottawa fan, half of SJ's fans, a TB fan, or most Swedes.

Him and Keith are the best of that group. Keith because he was a two way beast, that was also capable of playing 30 minutes a game, night in night out, without slowing down at all. He was a fitness freak of nature. every other player on the ice could be tired in a 3rd overtime, but he'd still be at 100%. Hedman is starting to get there, but I still think he's a step behind Keith and Doughty at their best.

It's going to be some interesting times for the Kings. Which prospects are likely to be on roster this year?

 

[Lt Dan]

Joe Dirte, where have you been all our lives?

Other than eating lunch off a "meteor"

 

[The Gabe Blade]

Blake should have taken a hard line with Doughty, just like DL should have done with Kopitar. Kopitar is worth $8.9m and Doughty is the same. The comparables should have been Bergeron and Chara.

I am not saying I disagree with you on this. However, all California teams are at a disadvantage when negotiating contracts. Right off the top, State Tax will cost you almost 13.5% of you contract value. Doughty's 11 is now 9.46 and Kop's 10 is now 8.6. The players know these things so they negotiate to be made a bit more whole on these things. Why do you think you think its so hard to attract FA's to CA? The weather, the girls, the lifestyle? We won two cups in 2012 and 2014. This should be a team players want to play for. If The Knights and The Kings both offer a player 8 million, the player has to pay 1.12 right off the top to sign here. This also allows The Knights to say, we will offer you 7.5 but you get to keep it.......

 

[raswilliam]

written by Dom Luszczyszyn aka fantasy hockey guru. Wonder when the last time this dude ever watched a Kings game? never?

 

[Token]

I am not saying I disagree with you on this. However, all California teams are at a disadvantage when negotiating contracts. Right off the top, State Tax will cost you almost 13.5% of you contract value. Doughty's 11 is now 9.46 and Kop's 10 is now 8.6. The players know these things so they negotiate to be made a bit more whole on these things. Why do you think you think its so hard to attract FA's to CA? The weather, the girls, the lifestyle? We won two cups in 2012 and 2014. This should be a team players want to play for. If The Knights and The Kings both offer a player 8 million, the player has to pay 1.12 right off the top to sign here. This also allows The Knights to say, we will offer you 7.5 but you get to keep it.......

You do realize pro athletes loophole the crap out of state taxes, right?

There is a reason NHL players get paid for only the regular season which is magically shorter than 182 actual days needed to establish statutory residency in a state, right?

Bet our bottom dollar all players rent or own a condo in FL, Tx, or NV.

NHL players pay state tax in every barn they earn money, road games and all.

The math is torturous and the agents and accountants are worth every penny.

The point is that most these guys keep formal residency in no-state-tax states and only pay state taxes on game days in the state they are playing that night.

The whole thing on Vegas having some vast advantage is bogus. TX has no income tax and I don’t see the Stars grabbing all the talent.

It all balances out.

 

[The Gabe Blade]

You do realize pro athletes loophole the crap out of state taxes, right?

I guess I don't, but I was on a roll, so leave me be.

 

[DoktorJeep]

I am not saying I disagree with you on this. However, all California teams are at a disadvantage when negotiating contracts. Right off the top, State Tax will cost you almost 13.5% of you contract value. Doughty's 11 is now 9.46 and Kop's 10 is now 8.6. The players know these things so they negotiate to be made a bit more whole on these things. Why do you think you think its so hard to attract FA's to CA? The weather, the girls, the lifestyle? We won two cups in 2012 and 2014. This should be a team players want to play for. If The Knights and The Kings both offer a player 8 million, the player has to pay 1.12 right off the top to sign here. This also allows The Knights to say, we will offer you 7.5 but you get to keep it.......

CA taxes are significant. But even Massachusetts has a personal income tax, granted not as high as CA’s top bracket. So LA is like the majority of other teams who are also in states or provinces where high earners get hit hard.

 

[Scottkmlps]

Karlsson only an honorable mention? Whatever you say Dom.

 

[Sparky206]

He made the NHLs all decade team, won us two cups, hes going to get paid as a UFA and rightly so. His contract is a non issue, by the time hes done it'll line up with the next line of kids whos become superstars needing to get paid. Worst case the new stars need a 1 year bridge deal before taking Doughty's cap space.

 

[Jericho111091]

My favorite hf reaction lately was on the main board dman rankings poll for next season Karlsson was still voted #12 while people are upset that dewey might be voted number 15

 

[kingsfan28]

The Athletic seems to think so...

By the numbers: The NHL’s 10 worst contracts, 2020 edition

No, his contract isn't even close to the worst. Where was EK on his list, oh yeah...pointzzzzzzz!

 

[kingsfan28]

My favorite hf reaction lately was on the main board dman rankings poll for next season Karlsson was still voted #12 while people are upset that dewey might be voted number 15

Letang is rated too high.

 

[Docgonzo]

2 things

1) Blake had to sign Doughty, and if he didn’t we’d be out Voynov and Doughty as Dmen. Which would’ve left Martinez and Muzzin as our #1 pair....shudder. And we wouldn’t have gotten fair value for Drew if we decided to trade him.

2) I’ll never get why they split up Muzzin and Doughty. They played well together, ate up minutes, like had chemistry. And we’ve been searching for a partner for Doughty ever since.