In Monday’s edition of the Rumor Rundown, we detail developments on David Pastrnak, Matt Duchene and the rumors that Drew Doughty might be looking at options beyond the Los Angeles Kings.
Drew Doughty Wants to Win Cups
It’s an easy thing to say that you want to win Stanley Cups. Everyone wants to win the Stanley Cup if you’re a player in the NHL. But, to say so publicly while still in the midst of a long-term contract with your current club is not something many will take lightly, especially if the current team you’re on isn’t seemingly going in a positive direction. Drew Doughty, however, has never been shy about stirring the pot. He doesn’t care what he says, or to whom he says it. That’s just the Doughty way.
Proving he’s still got his finger on the “hot button” trigger, Doughty has publicly aired his intentions when it comes to the rest of his NHL career. The Hockey News is reporting Doughty has no qualms about leaving the Los Angeles Kings in his quest to win the big one. During an interview with Matt Larkin, the Los Angeles Kings defenseman stated he understands he has two seasons left on his current contract. Doughty says, “I’d love to re-sign in L.A. But if our team isn’t going in the right direction…I want to win Cups. I don’t give a s— where I play. I just want to win Cups, and that’s the bottom line.”
This is sure to raise eyebrows in L.A. and if the team doesn’t start to win, expect a lot of trade talk and speculation to surround Doughty for the next couple seasons. Doughty is a top-tier defenseman and the Kings best player. His departure would be devastating for the organization.
Matt Duchene Simply Waiting
We reported earlier that Matt Duchene is currently skating with the Colorado Avalanche and further to that news, Adrian Dater is reporting that Matt Duchene is simply waiting to find out if he’s going to be traded. If a trade does not happen, Duchene is unsure about whether or not he’ll report to training camp.
The Columbus Blue Jackets still appear to be the favorites to land Duchene, but they may be looking at alternate options in the event the team doesn’t land the Avs disgruntled center. This includes taking a long look at Pierre-Luc Dubois at training camp. Aaron Portzline is also reporting that the rumored offer of defenseman Ryan Murray and forward Boone Jenner as part of a trade for Duchene, is not accurate.
Pastrnak Status Quo
There are no new developments when it comes to the contract status of Boston Bruins’ forward David Pastrnak. It is believed the Bruins are settled on their six or seven-year contract at $6 million per year while Pastrnak’s camp has allegedly countered with an eight-year $64 million deal. If this is true, the two sides are still very part apart in their negotiations and this could get sticky.
There’s no telling how long this could go, but a more realistic solution might be six years at around $6.75 million per season. The Bruins can’t afford to let this linger into the upcoming season. It shouldn’t be expected for this status quo to last long. Boston will come up and $8 million per season is not where the team will have to come up to.