Team will remove captaincy from one of their longtime leaders.

L.A Kings' forward Dustin Brown will probably be unhappy with this decision.

According to TSN's Frank Seravalli, when the puck drops on the new season for the Los Angeles Kings they will likely have a new captain. It seems that Brown will not be wearing the 'C', as the club wants to go in a "different direction" with their captaincy following two straight early playoff exits. Brown was asked to relinquish his position to a teammate and, as “a gentleman,” he apparently has agreed to do so.

The report was not refuted by the club, writes Lisa Dillman of the Los Angeles Times:

Brown could not be reached for comment and a front office executive did not dispute the item but objected to an interpretation of the news, stating, via text, that Brown had not been 'stripped' of anything.

The Kings, also, would not confirm if the new captain would be (Anze) Kopitar, who would be starting an eight-year contract worth $80 million this upcoming season.

Brown has served as captain since 2008, and raised the Stanley Cup in 2012 and 2014. He remains under contract with the Kings until 2022, and is still owed over $35 million ($5.875 million per year) over that time.

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Images Courtesy of Keystone Press