To Cave Or Not to Cave

Four days ago, Los Angeles Kings boss Tim Leiweke couldn't have been more clear on the club's intentions towards star defenceman Drew Doughty.

"If someone's whispering in Drew's ear that ownership is going to get impatient and blink, they're wrong," Leiweke.

Well, blink the Kings surely did on Thursday night, abandoning their hardline position after figuring out, quite correctly, that as long as NHL teams refuse to use the leverage they have in the current collective bargaining agreement, young players coming off their entry level contracts have their teams over a barrel.

The public utterances of GM Dean Lombardi in this case, that he wouldn't exceed Anze Kopitar's $6.8 million cap hit for Doughty, and that he would start docking the defenceman pay for missing training camp, were laughable. It was a negotiation, and one the Kings were bound to lose after a succession of teams, starting with Tampa Bay and Steve Stamkos, completely caved in to the demands of these talented young players this summer. it'll be hard for Lombardi to assume such a hard stance in the future, having given ground so easily on the Doughty deal.

Eight years is a long time to commit to Doughty, and the Kings own evidence of that, having traded for Mike Richards this summer and taken on the $51.6 million left on the contract he had signed with the Philadelphia Flyers. The good news is that apparently such contracts can be moved. The bad news is that signing such young players to these ridiculously long deals is a mug's game. it's about locking up an asset, or at most assigning a contractual value to an asset that can in time be moved to another team.

Still, Doughty has his $56 million and the Kings have their defenceman and a chance, they believe, to challenge for the first Stanley Cup in franchise history this season. 

"Let's go win some Cups," Leiweke told the Los Angeles Times. "We just spent more money this off-season than it cost to buy the team. We are committed."

According to the Times, AEG, which owns the Kings, spent $114.6 million this summer on Doughty, Richards and Simon Gagne after buying the Kings out of bankruptcy 16 years ago for $113.25 million.

Dollars aside, Doughty is a superb young defenceman, and the Kings are counting on him bouncing back to his form of two seasons ago when he took the league by storm and was a standout for Canada at the Vancouver Olympics.

In Doughty, Jack Johnson, Rob Scuderi and Willie Mitchell, the Kings believe they have a blueline corps to contend. Alec Martinez, Matt Greene and Davis Drewiske round out the group, which looks to have a nice balance of youth and experience. Doughty is the unquestioned kingpin, averaging 25 minutes per night. He missed six games due to injury last year and saw his points total drop by 19 over the previous year,  but he was still plus-13.

"I've been a Kings fan since I was a kid and I was never thinking about going elsewhere," Doughty told Helene Elliott of the Times. "I knew it was just a matter of time before it got done and I'm just really excited to be a part of that team for eight years. I hope we can win many Stanley Cups in that time and I'm going to do everything I can to help lead us to that."

Doughty's deal leaves Kyle Turris as the last remaining restricted free agent yet to be signed. Turris appears to be at a deadlock with Phoenix.

 

Comments

[John "Buck" Anger]

The LA Kings did not spend more money this summer than it cost to purchase the franchise what a trite comment. In fact they only agree to salary over a long term for one player. Once agian owners are the problem with this league over commiting to players who will be past their best playing days when the contract is still in effect.

[Chad]

Who really caved in here? I'm not sure it was so much about the money. After all it was only an additional $200K more per season. I think the Kings really wanted the length more then anything. They wanted him for long-term. It was Doughty and his agent that were apparently firm on their stance of only 5 years (bringing him to UFA status earlier). The Kings wanted no less then 7 years, and for only an additional $200K per season they got what they wanted and then some.
So again I ask......exactly who caved in?

[greg]

Helene Elliott is a good writer. It would be a smart move for at least one Canadian paper to get a female hockey writer of her quality, or at least have her write some articles for Canadian consumption. $7,000,000 a year for a hockey player, that is crazy money at any time, but especially in the current long term tough economy.

[Akman]

Well, lets hope there is a clause in the contract that if Doughty does not produce the way that Doughty's camp says and the Kings hope that he can produce, that he should give the Kings a refund. I hope in the next CBA there is more fairness to the owners who take much of the risk in high priced potential star contracts. I would rather see bonus paid to players for reaching various milestones at the end of the year.