Drew Doughty on free agency: I want to stay an L.A. King

Drew Doughty would be open to signing a contract with the King of Los Angeles this offseason, he said on Friday.

The 28-year-old defender and kings may begin discussing the July 1 expansion. The Doughty treaty expires after the next season.

“I’ve always wanted to be King LA, and I want to remain king of LA,” Doughty said on Friday. “I can not remember on what day we can start talking, but I’m sure that when the time comes.”

Doughty said in an interview with The Athletic in November that he plans to discuss his value on the open market with defender Ottawa Senators Eric Karlsson, who can also become a free agent at the end of next season. Doughty and Karlsson are represented by Newport Sports Management.

Doughty has one season left on an eight-year contract worth $ 56 million (an average annual value of $ 7 million), signed on September 30, 2011.

Kings general manager Rob Blake said on Friday that talks with Doughty are now the top priority. Los Angeles was excluded from the first round of the Western Conference “The Golden Knights of Vegas” on Tuesday.

Doughty, who had an NHL career of 60 points (10 goals, 50 assists) this season and is one of three finalists for Norris Trophy, said he likes where the kings are headed by President Luke Robaleil. They claimed the Stanley Cup playoffs as the first wild card at the Western Conference under the guidance of the first coach of Stevens before the Golden Knights embraced her.

“Rob Blake and Luke Robitale, they took this job because they want to win, and they want to re-transform this team into their winning ways,” Dauti said. “Whether they are many in the offseason, I do not know, but we have these young guys who, I think, will matter. I think this shows me what potential we have in the future, I’m doing it well, and I’m happy, I hope, to sign again here. ”

Douty played 10 seasons with the Kings, as he was selected No. 2 in the 2008 NHL Draft. He was a member of his teams in the Stanley Cup Championship in 2012 and 2014 and won “Norris Trophy” as the best defenders of the NHL in 2015-16.