Willie Mitchell, Drew Doughty a pair of eights who could be aces

Sports Columnist

Sept. 11, 2010 4:03 PM PT

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Defenseman Willie Mitchell, who signed a two-year, $7-million contract with the Kings as a free agent, said the prospect of playing for an up-and-coming team factored heavily into his decision to choose the Kings over three other suitors -- reportedly San Jose, Washington and Vancouver.

He also said the notion of playing alongside Norris trophy runnerup Drew Doughty was ‘intriguing,’ and his high regard for Doughty was reinforced when they met recently in Los Angeles.

‘I wore No. 8 in Vancouver. The first day he came in he was like, ‘Willie you can take my number,’ and I think that just speaks volumes of him as a kid,’ Mitchell said.

He declined Doughty’s generous offer. ‘I said, ‘No, you had too good of a year last year. You’ve got to keep rocking that thing,’ ‘ Mitchell said, laughing.

‘I think that speaks volumes of him. We were on the ice together the other day as a pair. It was fun seeing what he can do, how he reads and feels the game. I look forward to having a chance to play with him.’

More from the Kings’ Hockey Fest later.

-- Helene Elliott

Sports Now

Helene Elliott

Helene Elliott was with the Los Angeles Times’ Sports department from 1989 to 2024, first as a staff writer and then, starting in 2006, as a columnist. She became the first female journalist to be honored with a plaque in the Hall of Fame of a major professional sport as the 2005 winner of the Hockey Hall of Fame’s Elmer Ferguson Award, awarded to writers “who have brought honor to journalism and to hockey.” A native of Brooklyn, N.Y., and graduate of Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, she has covered 18 Olympics.