Teammates, coaches eagerly awaiting Drew Doughty’s impending return to the Kings lineup

As the LA Kings depart for Columbus today, they’ll be joined by one of their leaders.

For the first time this season, defenseman Drew Doughty will be with the team on the road. While we don’t have a formal date of return, Head Coach Jim Hiller said he is optimistic that Doughty will play on this trip, at some point, in some role.

Yesterday was certainly a nice step forward towards that goal.

Doughty skated in a full-contact jersey during practice in El Segundo during the team’s optional morning skate. Not a ton of contact to be found during a morning skate, but just seeing Doughty in the white jersey again for the first time was a nice sight to behold, especially when you consider what he’s gone through to get back to this point. First, it was skating on his own for what felt like forever before he finally made his long awaited return to practice, participating in a non-contact capacity on Monday and Tuesday of this week.

“It’s definitely tough being away from everybody and just seeing him back here, seeing him smile, joke around, just seeing him on the ice, how important he is to our team, it gives us a boost that way,” forward Quinton Byfield said of having Doughty with the team for practice on Monday and Tuesday. “For him, the progression he’s made since his injury, it’s good and hopefully he gets back soon.”

Then came yesterday’s full-contact skate.

The Kings are scheduled to hold a full-team practice tomorrow in Columbus. Assuming we’ll see Doughty as a full participant once again. Then comes that all important final step. Doughty has put the work in over the last four months to get to this point. In the gym, in training, on the ice. Now, he’s approaching a return to the Kings lineup that’s been a long time in the making.

“He’ll have an immediate impact just coming back into the group, he’s a really popular and energetic player,” Hiller said. “It will take him some time, we’re accepting that it’s likely going to take him some time to get back up to speed. When I say time, it’s weeks, but that doesn’t mean that he can’t help us in the short term and maybe a lesser role and we can build him back up as quickly as we can.”

Over the past few days, it’s been hard to miss Doughty on the ice.

In his first practice back, the Kings ran a sequence of 2-on-1 drills. In Doughty’s first opportunity to defend, the pass across didn’t connect and there was Doughty, huge smile, arms out wide like an NFL defensive back who just forced an incompletion.

“No one connected on the pass, so he didn’t even have to do anything,” forward Trevor Lewis said, with a smile. “We’ll get him on the next one.”

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— LA Kings (@LAKings) January 22, 2025

Lewis was one of many teammates who offered a smile when asked about Doughty’s impending return to the group.

Doughty is obviously an important part of the team on the ice, considering his Hall of Fame in waiting pedigree and his prominent role on this club when he is fully healthy. But he’s a big voice in the locker room as well. A larger than life personality. A leader on the blueline. Even one skate in and it was hard to miss Doughty’s presence.

“We’ve definitely missed him and not only on the ice, off the ice too,” Lewis added. “Just his character and personality and he was already hooting and hollering out there the first day back so it’s great to have him.”

That’s the thing with Doughty.

His game needs no validation. Who Drew Doughty is as a player, we know. But it’s about more than that for his teammates. Doughty is a popular teammate and someone who you can’t help but smile when you’re around. In an already tight locker room, Doughty is still a very important member. While everyone is excited for Drew Doughty, the defenseman, they seem equally excited to have Drew Doughty, the person, back as well.

“[We’ve missed him] a lot and not just on the ice, but off the ice too,” forward Kevin Fiala added. “He’s a leader, he’s a great person, just a great teammate. We’re looking forward to having him back in the locker room and on the ice. We can’t wait.”

Perhaps forward Trevor Moore identified the two biggest things about Doughty.

“His energy and his elite hockey sense are missed on our team.”

Energy off the ice and elite ability on it. Seems like a good player to add to the group. As the Kings continue through what many would call the dog days of January, perhaps a couple of Doughty chuckles is exactly what the doctor ordered to add that little bit of spark to get across the finish line for the 4 Nations break.

What’s kind of funny is that for some others on the Kings, they’ve never actually been teammates with Doughty. They’ve never seen that spark;

Forward Warren Foegele made his Kings debut during the preseason in the game Doughty fractured his ankle. Teammates in one exhibition game, for a part of a period. He actually might know better than anyone, though, the type of player Doughty is. Opposition with the Edmonton Oilers for all those years, Foegele saw the impact Doughty has on games and what his role is with this Kings squad.

“Big part of this team, big personality, you know guys are excited to have him back on the ice and I bet you he’s excited too,” Foegele said of Doughty. “We’re all waiting. Kudos to him for putting in all the hard work to get back to this point, we’re excited to have him back.”

How much longer the Kings will wait for Doughty’s return remains to be seen.

Full practice day tomorrow in Columbus and that will be Doughty’s first full practice with the team in a full-contact capacity since training camp. Naturally, that’s very exciting and probably his most important remaining evaluation. Then the attention moves to Saturday’s game against the Blue Jackets. Could be the day. Might not be. The Kings won’t rush Doughty back and when he does play it won’t be in his usual role, right off the bat. Sure, he probably sees time with Mikey Anderson, especially when the Kings dress seven defensemen, but it’s not like the Kings will just thrust him into 25 minutes per night. They’ll ease him in.

They will be patient. They will be careful. Because, in any role, Doughty makes this team better. With nearly half the season remaining, there’s plenty of time to get him back up to speed. Important games to come. For now, the excitement is building along with the anticipation. Check back in tomorrow for the latest on number eight.