The Unfortunate Ankle Injury of Drew Doughty: A Blow to LA Kings

The Los Angeles Kings are facing a significant setback as their star defenseman, Drew Doughty, has been ruled out on a month-to-month basis due to an ankle injury necessitating surgery. This unfortunate incident occurred during the Kings’ 3-2 preseason triumph over the Golden Knights, where Doughty, the 2016 Norris Trophy recipient, collided into the boards alongside Vegas forward Tanner Pearson.

The Impact of Doughty’s Absence

Anze Kopitar, the Kings’ center and captain, expressed his disappointment over the situation, acknowledging that Doughty’s absence is a harsh reality they must confront. His absence leaves a significant gap in the Kings’ defensive line, as Doughty has been a key player since his rookie season in 2008-09.

Last season saw Doughty play in all 82 games, marking the 11th time he completed a season playing more than 76 games. His performance during the 2023-24 season was only surpassed by John Carlson of the Washington Capitals, with Doughty averaging an ice time of 25:47 compared to Carlson’s 25:53. The 34-year-old Doughty also contributed 15 goals and accumulated 50 points for the second consecutive season, making it his fifth time reaching the 50-point milestone.

Dealing with the Gap

The Kings were already grappling with the departure of Matt Roy, who was Doughty’s closest teammate in terms of ice time. Doughty also led the team with 266:08 of power-play ice time and ranked third on the team for short-handed ice time with 183:07. The team’s defense now faces the challenge of replacing both Doughty and Roy.

Potential replacements could include Mikey Anderson, Kyle Burroughs, Vladislav Gavrikov, and Jordan Spence, with the talented prospect, Brandt Clarke, possibly seeing increased playtime.

Looking Ahead: The LA Kings’ Season Outlook

The forthcoming season is pivotal for the Kings, who have been working on rebuilding their team following three consecutive playoff misses from 2018-19 to 2020-21. They’ve managed to reach the playoffs in the past three seasons, but each time they’ve been eliminated in the first round by the Edmonton Oilers.

Teams such as the Golden Knights, Oilers, Colorado Avalanche, and Dallas Stars have emerged as strong Stanley Cup contenders. With the Nashville Predators and Vancouver Canucks also making significant strides in the 2023-24 season, the Kings find themselves in a challenging position. They are aiming to secure a wild-card spot and progress to the second playoff round for the first time since their 2014 championship victory.