Rumour: Doughty Rejects 9yr, $61.2M Contract

[RGM81]

http://thehockeywriters.com/drew-dou...at-comes-next/

The saga being discussed here is the one revolving around Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty, who is seeking a new contract from the team since he’s a restricted free agent. He is looking for a significant raise from the nearly $3.5 million he made in the 2010-11 season, but according to reports that surfaced today, he may be looking for a raise that is bigger than anyone could have anticipated.
According to Nick Kypreos of Sportsnet.ca, Doughty has declined a nine-year, $61.2 million contract from the Kings. He also has turned down others offers besides this generous one, according to Kypreos, and reactions of shock cascaded throughout the internets. The $6.8 million salary he would have earned with this contract would have made him the team’s highest paid defenseman by $2.5 million over Jack Johnson, who just signed an extension earlier this year, and would tie him with Anze Kopitar as the highest paid player on the team.
Before we get to whether or not Doughty was nuts to turn down that kind of money, let’s take a quick peek at his career stats. He has respectable numbers on offense, scoring 33 goals and dishing out 93 assists in 239 career games. Last season he was eighth on the team in scoring, bagging 40 points. He has been even better in the playoffs, scoring five goals and adding six assists in 12 career postseason contests. Needless to say, Doughty is a solid performer on both sides of the ice, and so he definitely has to figure prominently in the Kings’ future plans.
Among the multitude of questions that this latest development brings up is a simple one: how on Earth can Doughty have turned down such a deal? It is highly unlikely that he would get an offer that’s any better than this one, whether it be from the Kings or on the open market, and to turn down that kind of money after only having been in the league suggests either some serious hubris or a lack of common sense. Either way, it is a surprise that Doughty would spurn that type of offer, and it leaves both him and the Kings in an interesting position.

Interesting indeed - it makes you wonder what Doughty's after.

[OBOMBA]

how sad and pathetic he is. all sports players are horribly overpaid anyways

[jonpop]

He's the next Wade Redden.

[flemingc04]

Wow, and while all of this happens, I think Luke Schenn is holding out on resigning with the Leafs until he sees the final result with Doughty. Not that he is nearly as good as Doughty, but usually there is some sort of domino effect when a bug UFA, or a skilled RFA signs. Everybody waits for the first chip to fall and then a few follow. However, I thought Doughty would have signed soon after Shea Weber.

[hossa18sens]

Yea so did I. lol

If this is true it makes you think he wants out.

[NastyPatches]

I think he might want a similar contract to Stamkos(shorter term). In the 5 year range so it doesnt cut into his UFA years.

[braden]

I wonder what kind of "advice" he's getting from his agent if this is true.

[sholi2000]

As stated above. I second he wants out of LA.

[afholmes87]

Doughty's thinking "I'll take a million less to play on the top pairing in Detroit with Lidstrom." :)

In all reality I really do think he wants out of LA, not saying to Detroit, but to another Cup contender(and I'm not saying LA is not a contender either). Would I like to see Doughty land in Detroit? I'd take him, but not at a salary upwards of $7 million. I'll take Suter next off season for much less than Doughty is looking for.

[stop__dreaming]

Might not be the money issue, but the years offered.