Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty will undergo surgery to repair a fractured ankle and is now considered month-to-month, as announced by the team on Friday.
The exact timeline for Doughty’s return is unclear; however, head coach Jim Hiller indicated that Doughty is expected to return this season.
The injury occurred during Wednesday’s preseason game against the Vegas Golden Knights, where Doughty crashed awkwardly into the boards.
Drew Doughty takes an awkward fall and leaves the game.#GoKingsGo #VegasBorn #VGKvsLAK pic.twitter.com/nZkNvnkpuh
— LA Royalty (@LARoyalty1967) September 26, 2024
Doughty is a key player for the Kings, having led the team in average ice time throughout his 16 NHL seasons. He has finished in the top five league-wide in every season since 2014-15.
At 34 years old, Doughty showcased his enduring capabilities in the 2023-24 season, finishing 11th in Norris Trophy voting with a season tally of 15 goals and 50 points.
Kyle Burroughs, who is anticipated to step into Doughty’s role, expressed the team’s support, stating, “It’s Drew Doughty. He’s been a pillar here in the league, not even just for the Kings. It’s tough to see and this is when we try to rally around him and give him the support he needs. But he’s a tough cookie. He’ll be high spirits. He’ll be back flying in no time.”
Despite the strength of the left side of the blue line, the Kings will lack experience on the right side in Doughty’s absence. The defensive pairs heading into the season are as follows:
| LD | RD |
| Vladislav Gavrikov | Jordan Spence |
| Mikey Anderson | Kyle Burroughs |
| Joel Edmundson | Brandt Clarke |
Clarke, the 2021 No. 8 pick, is seen as the wild card in the lineup. He has yet to solidify his position as a full-time NHL player but finished last season with 46 points in 50 AHL games. He is expected to lead the top power-play unit during Doughty’s recovery.
Mikey Anderson commented on the situation, saying, “We got Spenny (and) Clarkie, who are probably more offensive guys, so they can try and take that over. Get maybe a little more chance on the power play. It’s good for those guys. I think we got a lot of trust in them to be able to perform. But we got enough guys that play hard (defense), too, where we’re able to be hard to play against and try and fill his defensive role as well.”
Doughty has only missed one game in the past two years. The Kings last faced a significant stretch without their star defenseman during the 2021-22 season when he missed 42 games. At that time, Los Angeles had greater depth on the right side with Matt Roy and Sean Durzi available to help manage the load.
