The Leafs were trying to get rid of Kessel, the Kings have no need to, Doughty still has some good years left and is part of the core going forward. You 100% just made up that number based on zero evidence and then went on to build your argument based on a made up number. Makes no sense.
Kopitar is still there and there aren't any rumours of him moving, they're trading away declining pieces but not the core yet. Doughty is a main part of the core, highly doubtful they trade him unless a team overpays. Them retaining 1.5 million for 8 years is not an overpay.
- 13sundin13
What use could they have for Doughty during a rebuild? He doesn't help them tank and he's not 20 anymore so it's not like he's going to be a part of the next wave in 5+ years either.
And why were they getting rid of Kessel? Because they were at a dead end and needed to rebuild. Rebuilding means tanking and drafting. The Kings have next to zero top prospects in terms of a Matthews type franchise player. They can't turn it around over night. It's going to take YEARS.
It's basic logic. 1.5 is what the Leafs need the Kings to retain. You pay them accordingly. Very simple. If that's a throw in like Dermott or Kerfoot, so be it. It's worth it. Leafs can internally replace those guys for 1/3 of the cost.
What core? They have zero core players under 30. They sold off Muzzin already (Doughty's very good friend by the way) and Martinez is on the block. Carter, Brown and Quick would all have been traded if they had any value but their production is too bad for their cap hits. Toffoli is on the block and a pending UFA. They traded Clifford. They have nothing left. It's a shell of what they use to be.
That means rebuilding and rebuilding means 4-5 years of tanking. Why would they keep guys like Doughty when they could trade them for NHL ready players like Nylander? It's the exact thing the Leafs did with Kessel for Kapanen. It helps them tank and it helps them get young talent quicker too. Rebuilding teams do it all the time.
The real question is will Doughty waive his NMC and I think that's the only real debate here. He could play on a terrible team during the prime of his career or he could go play with a close friend and keep trying to win. He's played 8 playoff games in the past 6 years. I think that's going to get annoying pretty soon because that could very quickly turn into 5 straight years with no playoffs. And he can always live in LA in the offseason even though it's kind of a poop hole, aside from the weather always being perfect.
