Dennis Bernstein of The Fourth Period reports that Doughty (ankle) is aiming to return to action in early January as long as there are no setbacks in his recovery.
Doughty was seen leaving the arena without a walking boot after the Kings' 5-2 home win over the Senators on Saturday. It was the first time the right-shot blueliner has been seen without a walking boot since being around the team, Bernstein relays. When healthy, Doughty should retain his spot on the top pair and No. 1 power-play unit. Brandt Clarke hasn't looked out of place filling in for Doughty on the man advantage, though, which could allow the Kings to ease the latter back into his usual workload.
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Kings' Drew Doughty: Shifts to LTIR
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Doughty (ankle) was moved to long-term injured reserve Wednesday.
The decision to put Doughty on LTIR shouldn't come as a surprise considering he is currently month-to-month following ankle surgery. Without the veteran on the blue line, Jordan Spence could be tasked with a significantly bigger role this year, including running the No. 1 power-play unit. Whenever Doughty does return, however, he should immediately reclaim that spot with the man advantage.
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Kings' Drew Doughty: Goes on injured reserve
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Doughty (ankle) was placed on injured reserve Sunday.
Doughty is considered month-to-month following ankle surgery. He sustained a fracture during the preseason, and an exact timeline for his recovery remains unclear. The 35-year-old defender accumulated 15 goals, 50 points, 135 shots on net, 142 blocked shots and 109 hits in 82 games in the 2023-24 regular season. Jordan Spence, Kyle Burroughs and Brandt Clarke could see increased roles during Doughty's absence.
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Kings' Drew Doughty: Undergoes surgery
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Doughty, as previously announced, had surgery to repair his fractured ankle and is considered month-to-month, Zach Dooley of the Kings' official site reports Friday.
Doughty's status remains unchanged, but he at least has now had his procedure and should be on the road to recovery. At this point, it wouldn't be surprising to see Doughty out of action until the calendar turns to 2025, though the team hasn't provided a specific recovery timeline. Without Doughty on the blue line, Brandt Clarke should see increased minutes in addition to getting power-play opportunities. Doughty figures to be designated for long-term injured reserve once the season opens.
Kings' Drew Doughty: Needs surgery, is month-to-month
Rotowire
Doughty will undergo surgery to repair a fractured ankle and is month-to-month, the team announced Friday.
The loss of Doughty can't be overstated for the Kings. He's a massive part of their blue line, averaging 25:48 of ice time last season, including 3:15 with the man advantage. He had 15 goals, 50 points, 44 PIM, 109 hits and 142 blocks across 82 regular-season appearances in 2023-24. With Doughty out for an extended period, Jordan Spence and Brandt Clarke could receive expanded roles, including increased minutes on the power play.
Doughty sustained a fractured ankle in Wednesday's preseason matchup, Eric Stephens of The Athletic reports.
Team doctors are still evaluating Doughty, so it's unclear what his exact timeline might be at this point, but he will likely face an extended stint on the shelf. The veteran blueliner's absence will create a significant gap on the Kings' blue line, one that is not likely to be filled by a single player. It's the 23-year-old Jordan Spence who could benefit the most if he can secure his spot on the No. 1 power-play unit in Doughty's absence.
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Kings' Drew Doughty: Exits preseason contest
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Doughty (lower body) won't return to Wednesday's preseason game versus the Golden Knights.
Doughty couldn't put any weight on his left leg after colliding into the boards in the first period. Given that it's preseason, the Kings quickly ruled him out for the remainder of the contest. Expect the team to be cautious with Doughty, as there's little point in risking further injury before the regular season begins. The Kings' next game is Saturday versus the Ducks.
Doughty scored a goal and added 12 PIM in Friday's 6-1 loss to the Oilers in Game 3.
Doughty got the Kings on the board in the second period, but they weren't able to muster a rally. His slashing penalty in the first also led to the first of the Oilers' three power-play markers. Doughty's offense (two goals, one assist, five shots on net) has been fine in the playoffs, but he's also gone minus-2 with 12 PIM, three hits and three blocked shots over three contests in the first round.
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Kings' Drew Doughty: Tallies in win
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Doughty scored a goal on three shots in Wednesday's 5-4 overtime win over the Oilers in Game 2.
Doughty got loose on a breakaway and converted for the Kings' third goal of the contest. The defenseman has two points, four shots on net, two hits and three blocked shots over two playoff contests. Doughty should continue to see massive minutes in all situations, so there will be chances for him to produce steady offense.
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Kings' Drew Doughty: Nabs helper in loss
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Doughty recorded an assist, two blocked shots and a minus-2 rating in Monday's 7-4 loss to the Oilers in Game 1.
Doughty has six points over 10 contests since the start of April. The 34-year-old defenseman has plenty of playoff experience, and he's still capable of eating big minutes on the top pairing. Doughty averaged 25:48 of ice time per game during the regular season, earning 15 goals, 35 assists, 142 blocked shots, 109 hits and a plus-15 rating in 82 appearances. He's still a workhorse, and he's reliable enough to be effective in all zones.
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Kings' Drew Doughty: Delivers assist Saturday
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Doughty notched an assist and two PIM in Saturday's 3-1 win over the Ducks.
Doughty has earned a goal and five helpers over his last eight contests. The 34-year-old defenseman is up to 50 points for the season, his second year in a row at that level. He's also reached that milestone five times in his career. Doughty has added 131 shots on net, 140 blocked shots, 108 hits, 44 PIM and a plus-14 rating through 80 appearances in 2023-24.
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Kings' Drew Doughty: Contributes helper in win
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Doughty logged an assist, two shots on goal and two hits in Thursday's 4-1 win over the Flames.
Doughty helped out on Viktor Arvidsson's empty-net goal in the third period. The 34-year-old Doughty has five points over his last seven games -- he's added 17 hits, 10 blocked shots and a minus-2 rating in that span. For the season, the star defenseman has 49 points, 130 shots on net, 139 blocked shots, 108 hits and a plus-13 rating through 79 appearances.
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Kings' Drew Doughty: Earns two points in win
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Doughty scored a goal, dished an assist, added two hits and went minus-2 in Saturday's 6-3 win over the Canucks.
Both of Doughty's points came on first-period power plays. The goal was his first since Feb. 29, though he's picked up nine assists over the 17 contests in between. Through 77 games, Doughty has 15 goals, 33 helpers, 20 power-play points, 124 shots on net, 103 hits, 136 blocked shots and a plus-13 rating in a workhorse role on the top pairing.
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Kings' Drew Doughty: Supplies helper Monday
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Doughty logged an assist and five hits in Monday's 4-3 loss to the Jets.
Doughty has been limited to four assists over his last nine outings. The 34-year-old defenseman has generally, however, been as steady as ever on the Kings' top pairing this year, racking up 46 points (18 on the power play) through 74 contests. He's added 121 shots on net, 100 hits, 132 blocked shots, 42 PIM and a plus-15 rating to offer a balanced stat line for fantasy managers.
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Kings' Drew Doughty: Pockets power-play assist
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Doughty notched a power-play assist, four hits and two blocked shots in Saturday's 4-2 loss to the Flames.
Doughty set up an Adrian Kempe tally in the first period. The 34-year-old Doughty didn't score in March, but he posted eight assists and a plus-4 rating over 14 contests. The veteran defenseman has enjoyed a strong campaign, earning 45 points (18 on the power play) with 121 shots on net, 131 blocked shots, 95 hits, 42 PIM and a plus-15 rating through 73 appearances.
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Kings' Drew Doughty: Reaches 30-assist mark
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Doughty logged two assists, three shots on goal and two PIM in Wednesday's 6-0 win over the Wild.
Doughty had gone three games without a point entering Wednesday. Prior to that short slump, he opened March with a helper in five of six contests. The 34-year-old blueliner continues to provide solid all-around production with 44 points, 118 shots on net, 125 blocked shots, 89 hits, 40 PIM and a plus-15 rating over 69 appearances in a top-pairing role.
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Kings' Drew Doughty: Assists in three straight games
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Doughty notched an assist and blocked four shots in Monday's 3-0 loss to the Islanders.
Doughty has a helper in each of the last three games, and he's gotten on the scoresheet in six of the last seven contests. The defenseman is up to 41 points, 109 shots on net, 121 blocked shots, 85 hits and a plus-11 rating through 64 outings. He has a good chance to reach the 50-point mark for the second year in a row and the fifth time in his career barring a deep slump down the stretch.
