Kings’ Drew Doughty and executive Rob Blake discuss the finer points of scoring by defensemen

The only person standing between Drew Doughty and an imposing accomplishment — becoming the No. 1 scoring defenseman in Kings history — happens to be the same guy trying to help him reach that spot.

That would be Kings Assistant General Manager Rob Blake.

“I’m not sure how many he is beating me by, but I’m going to try to catch him,” Doughty said. “I’m going to try to beat him.”

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Only 179 more points to go . . .

Doughty was chatting with a couple of reporters Friday, the day after he recorded his 316th career point — an assist against the Calgary Flames — and moved past Steve Duchesne for second place on the Kings’ all-time scoring list for defensemen. Blake finished with 494 points with the Kings and, adding his Colorado and San Jose contributions, recorded 777 overall.

In 77 games this season, Doughty has 14 goals and 49 points, which includes nine power-play goals and three game-winners. His plus-minus rating of plus-25 was fifth among NHL defensemen before Friday. One of the favorites for the Norris Trophy, given to the league’s top defenseman, Doughty is two goals and 10 points from matching his career highs.

Doughty says he often takes the initiative with Blake, saying “he’s been through it all.”

“He doesn’t even have to approach me,” Doughty said. “I’ll just go up there and talk to him about things: What he’s thinking about my game. What he’s thinking about the D-corps’ game, overall.

“How I can help make the others better and make myself better. He’s been great for me. He worked this summer with me, looking over my shots, seeing how I could get my goals up.”

Said Blake: “His game has always been in the same category as the top defensemen in the league. His leadership on and off the ice has taken a big step.

“He takes pride in helping and guiding this team to win championships.”

Blake had another suggestion for Doughty.

“He wanted more slap shots from me,” Doughty said. “I had 16 goals one year and a lot of times that year I was shooting one-timers, or getting the puck, stopping it and taking a slap shot. I kind of got away from that since that second year in the league.

“Coaches were always saying, ‘Just take wrist shots, get it down to the net.’ And they weren’t getting through as much. Wrist shots are still a good play from up there. I feel like slap shots, people are a lot less willing to block and [it] finds its way through.”

Blake would be the first to agree that the free-wheeling, high-scoring Smythe Division days gave him and Duchesne a nice advantage, adding, “Very little shot blockers back then also.”

Doughty smiled when asked how he might have fared in that wild Smythe era. Blake made his NHL debut and joined the Kings for the final four games of the 1989-90 season . . . and the Kings were outscored, 14-7, in their last two games of the regular season.

That was also the season they won a first-round playoff game, 12-4, against Calgary, in which Blake had two assists, Wayne Gretzky had five points and three players recorded hat tricks.

So much fun for the fans, less so for the goalies and coaches.

Next up

KINGS VS. DALLAS

When: Saturday, 1 p.m.

On the air: TV: Fox Sports West. Radio: 790.

Update: The Stars, like the Kings, did not make the playoffs last season and both are contending for division titles, the Kings in the Pacific and the Stars in the Central. Dallas forward Ales Hemsky is on a six-game point streak with seven points during that stretch. Jamie Benn scored his 40th goal of the season Thursday against Arizona, and his 87 points match a career high.

Follow Lisa Dillman on Twitter @reallisa