It’s been four months and 47 games since Los Angeles Kings veteran defensemen Drew Doughty was put on the shelf with a broken ankle in a preseason game. He finally got his chance to return and take the ice in a game on the road versus the Florida Panthers last Wednesday, January 29.
The Kings got shutout 3-0 but Doughty was happy to be back on the active roster and helping his team, a Kings team that has had a bit of a struggle in January. Doughty is that spark needed to ignite the flame, so his return is good timing.
Kings coach Jim Hiller wanted to manage his on-ice minutes and ease him back in but Doughty would end up leading the team with 23:51 playing time. Hiller has a lot of confidence in his star player and threw caution to the wind.
Hiller’s confidence in Doughty’s abilities were apparent because in the next game versus the Tampa Bay Lightning, he had a team-leading time of 27:43 on the ice. It was another 3-0 loss, but Hiller knows that this increased playing time will speed up Doughty’s return to his usual greatness.
In the next game against the Carolina Hurricanes, the Kings came away victorious with a 4-2 win. Doughty would chalk up an assist and had about 24 minutes on-ice, but would uncharacteristically turn the puck over and take a penalty which allowed the Hurricanes to score their first goal.
But Hiller knows Kings two-time Stanley Cup champion (2012, 2014) Doughty and his capabilities and isn’t about to decrease his minutes. Nothing will stop Doughty from remaining the leader in playing time. At 35 years old, one would think that he would slow him down some, but he and the Kings know that he has a lot left in the tank.
As time goes on, Doughty will return to his usual form, being a great stickhandler, successfully battling opponents, being a key variable on the power play, among other skills. By the third period versus the Panthers, this was already evident.
Other players coming back from being on the shelf for four months might have had decreased playing time upon returning, but not Doughty. He’s special, and the Kings know it. He’s been the best defensemen on the team for many seasons.