Los Angeles Kings captain Drew Doughty turns 37 in December and is in the final year of his contract, but he believes his playing days are far from over.
"I think I can play until over 40," Doughty told NHL.com's Tom Gulitti. "I believe I can. I've just got to stay healthy. The want to do it hasn't dropped, so, until I lose that, I'm not going to retire."
Doughty's eight-year, $88-million deal is set to expire in July. His $11-million cap hit is tied for the second-highest in the NHL, but he said he's open to signing for less to help Los Angeles build a competitive roster.
"He knows what I want. I believe he wants to me stay," Doughty said of Kings general manager Ken Holland. "We just haven't talked about it yet. I feel like I'm performing better than I have in my past two seasons. So, I think that I'll take a team-friendly deal and stay in L.A. That's my plan."
Doughty has played 19 seasons with the Kings since being drafted second overall in 2008. He's the franchise's all-time leader in points (710) and games played (1,288) among defensemen. He also has two Stanley Cups, four All-Star nominations, and a Norris Trophy on his resume.
The Kings have struggled out of the gate this season, managing a 2-5-2 record. Doughty's notched one point in nine games while averaging over 20 minutes per contest.
