Roommates Brown, Doughty reunited

Just in time for the biggest road trip of the season, Dustin Brown gets his road roommate back. Brown and Drew Doughty are good friends, so it’s fair to say that on several fronts, Brown will be glad to have Doughty back in the fold. Here’s what Brown said, after this morning’s skate, about Doughty’s return to the Kings…

BROWN: “Everyone kind of knew it was a matter of time, and they finally figured it out, a deal that works for both parties. It’s good to have him back. Going through training camp, I think that was probably the biggest story, unfortunately, was him not being here. So we’ve got him back now, and now it’s just a matter of getting ready to go.”

Question: Did you talk to him at all along the way?

BROWN: “I probably talked to him two or three times a week, whether by text or voice. So I’ve been in contact with him, probably since the beginning of June, really, just seeing how things were going and also just talking to him about what was going on here, once training camp got started, and also trying to give him perspectives. When you’re in a negotiation like that, it’s very hard to step outside (of it). Sometimes you need someone, just to bounce ideas off of. Sometimes he asked for ideas or opinions, so you just try to be there for him.”

Question: Is there a sense of relief inside the team that it’s over now?

BROWN: “I think maybe in the organization. From a player’s standpoint, guys aren’t coming to the rink and saying, `Oh wow, we’re going to have to start the regular season without Dewey.’ That’s not the mentality of the group of guys that is in here. I think it was more, `Let’s get ready to go, whatever happens.’ It was a non-concern for players. I’m sure, from the coaches’ side, management, ownership, they were all worrying about it. I think, from the group of players, we did a pretty good job. The situation was what it was. It was more about getting ourselves ready. Had he not signed, we were going to have to play without him. Now that he is signed, that’s a big plus.”

Question: Did you talk to him at all last night?

BROWN: “I talked to him last night through text, for a bit.”

Question: Tell him he’s buying lunch?

BROWN: “He’s buying more than lunch, that’s for sure. [smiles] I just wanted to congratulate him. I just texted him a little bit. I think, for him, it’s maybe just a sigh of relief. I think what a lot of people forget is that he’s 21 years old, and in a situation that not a lot of 21-year-olds have to deal with. Whatever your opinion of how it went down, he definitely wanted to be here from day one. What happens in negotiations, a lot of people don’t understand. He had to deal with it, pretty much by himself, seeing how he wasn’t around the guys at all. So, again, last night was just congratulations. I told him he needed to be early so he could get his fitness testing done.”