Team Canada Keeping Eye on Injured Kings Defenseman

A key veteran defender for the Los Angeles Kings hasn't played this season, but Team Canada is keeping an eye on his recovery.

Apr 6, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty (8) looks on during the third period of a game against the Vancouver Canucks at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jessica Alcheh-Imagn Images / Jessica Alcheh-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Kings lost a big piece of their defensive corps when veteran Drew Doughty suffered a severe lower-body injury during the preseason. Doughty suffered a fractured ankle and underwent surgery that would keep him out of the Kings’ lineup on a month-to-month basis.

That sort of timeline from the Kings doesn’t quite give insight on when Doughty might be healthy enough to return, but he might not be out of the conversation for a key international tournament.

The 4 Nations Face-Off is a few months away and according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman in a written 32 Thoughts, Team Canada is keeping a close eye on Doughty’s health.

“Do not forget Drew Doughty in your Four Nations mockups,” Friedman writes. “Team Canada’s brain trust is closely monitoring his recovery timeline and was asking for information the moment he was hurt (end of September). Back then, the feeling was he’d be back in about three months, give or take.”

Doughty suffered his injury in late September, giving a possible return to the Kings in late December, well before puck drop of the 4 Nations Face-Off.

Rosters are due in early December, muddying the waters a bit for Canada and Doughty, but there is still a chance they’ll take that risk. With a couple of months between the roster due date and the mid-February start, that’s plenty of time for Doughty to return and get up to speed.

Doughty has been a typical face on Team Canada’s international rosters for over a decade. He won World Junior gold in 2008, World Cup of Hockey gold in 2016 and two Olympic golds in 2010 and 2014.

With over 1,100 games played with the Kings, Doughty is a Norris Trophy winner and multi-time Stanley Cup champion. The Hall of Fame will call his name some day, but for now he’s looking for return to health and possibly represent his country yet again.

At 34-years-old, it’s not out of the question that Doughty will still be good enough to not only play at the 4 Nations Face-Off, but follow that with one last Olympics appearance in 2026.

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