Drew Doughty named 15th captain of Los Angeles Kings, with leadership group updated

The Los Angeles Kings have named Drew Doughty as the franchise’s 15th captain, according to an announcement reported by NHL.com on Thursday. The move makes the 36-year-old defenseman the team’s on-ice leader following Anze Kopitar’s retirement after 20 NHL seasons, all with Los Angeles.

NHL.com notes that Doughty has spent 18 seasons with the Kings since they selected him with the No. 2 pick in the 2008 NHL Draft, and he has been part of the organization’s leadership group since 2016-17 as an alternate captain. The Kings have also struggled to win a playoff series in recent years, with elimination in the Western Conference First Round in five straight seasons and a four-game sweep by the Colorado Avalanche in April, according to the report.

Along with Doughty’s captaincy, the leadership group was updated. Adrian Kempe will remain an alternate captain, and defenseman Mikey Anderson also stays in the alternate role. Forward Artemi Panarin joins the alternate group as the third alternate captain in his first full season with the Kings after being acquired in a trade from the New York Rangers on Feb. 4, NHL.com reported.

The report attributes additional context on the decision to Kings general manager Ken Holland, who said in part that the captain choice felt “natural” after discussions with head coach Peter Laviolette and Doughty, and that Doughty’s passion and pride for the responsibility stood out. Doughty was also quoted saying he wants to win a championship and that his focus is the Stanley Cup.

Doughty described his leadership style as more outspoken and emotional than Kopitar’s, while also referencing how the two led together. He also received a congratulatory text from Kopitar on Wednesday night, with the conversation turning to Kopitar’s wellbeing and family after his return to his native Slovenia, as described in the NHL.com report.

Written by Vancouver Television Sports Desk