Doughty led the NHL in time on ice per game in 2017-18 (26:50) and 2020-21 (26:23), and he has averaged 25:59 for his career. Doughty said he would be comfortable reducing his workload if it can help the Kings have more success in the regular season and playoffs after being swept by the Colorado Avalanche this season, the fifth straight year they were eliminated in the Western Conference First Round. \u00a0<\/p>\n
Although the Kings have not won a playoff series since the 2014 Stanley Cup Final, Doughty\u2019s contributions to Team Canada\u2019s victory in the 4 Nations Face-Off in 2025 and silver medal finish at the 2026 Winter Olympics showed he can still make a meaningful difference at the highest levels of competition.<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously, if we can get all the \u2018D\u2019 involved and bring my minutes back a little bit, it would be in the best interest for the team,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
In addition to hoping to continue his tenure in Los Angeles, Doughty also expressed interest in succeeding longtime teammate and friend Anze Kopitar<\/a>\u00a0as the next captain of the Kings.<\/p>\n Kopitar, who retired following the Game 4 loss on Sunday after 20 seasons in the NHL, held that role for the past 10 seasons.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d love to be captain of this team,\u201d said Doughty, who has been an alternate captain since 2015-16. \u201cIt\u2019s something, I guess, when I was younger, (it\u2019s) something I never thought of. And I kind of grew into a leadership role, and now it\u2019s something I cherish, and it would mean the world to me to be a captain.\u201d<\/p>\n Other options to replace Kopitar could be forward Adrian Kempe<\/a>\u00a0and defenseman Mikey Anderson<\/a>, who were alternate captains this season.<\/p>\n