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Drew Doughty News & Rumors

St. Louis' Ken Hitchcock says Drew Doughty is best in the series
May 6
Los Angeles Times
 
"Heroes for more than one day … There are the often impenetrable Jonathan Quick of the Kings in goal and Kings captain Dustin Brown and his Blues counterpart David Backes with their ferocious physical give and take. ("Cripes," said St. Louis Coach Ken Hitchcock of their bone-rattling second-period collision in Game 3.) But Hitchcock pointed to Kings defenseman Drew Doughty as the best player in this series. The Kings lead the Blues, 3-0, in the Western Conference semifinals and Game 4 is noon Sunday at Staples Center. "I think the biggest thing that he does is absorb checks, gets the puck out on his own," said Hitchcock on Saturday after the Blues' practice. "That's what [Alex] Pietrangelo"
For Kings' Dwight King and Jordan Nolan, a big change of scenery
February 15
Los Angeles Times
 
"The forward did not have to ring twice. In this case, Dwight King only had to knock once. Last week King was able to break the news to Manchester Monarchs teammate Jordan Nolan that they were both being called up from the minors by the Kings with a quick knock on his door. "He said to wake up, pack up. We're leaving in an hour," Nolan said in El Segundo on Tuesday after the Kings' practice. Said King: "He'll get to remember that forever. His first call-up, I was the guy to tell him. It's a good story.""
Kings get it done in final seconds to beat Blue Jackets, 3-2
February 2
Los Angeles Times
 
"It occurred to Drew Doughty soon after he slammed himself against the glass to exult over the decisive goal in a 3-2 victory for the Kings over Columbus on Wednesday that maybe he hadn't beaten the clock, and that he'd have a red face when the puck was dropped for overtime at Staples Center. "I didn't know how much time was left. I was sneaking in there and I knew there wasn't a lot of time," Doughty said of the frantic scramble during a power play in the Blue Jackets' zone."
KINGS 1, PHOENIX 0 (OT): Doughty leaves no doubt in L.A.'s victory
January 6
L.A. Daily News
 
"The Kings will close their outdoor skating rink at L.A. Live today with a final skate in which they'll generate fake snow in 80-degree weather. If only they could figure out a way to generate offense across the street at Staples Center. The Kings have a new coach in Darryl Sutter, but the offense still has the same ineffectiveness it did when Terry Murray coached the team. It took defenseman Drew Doughty 38 seconds into overtime to score, a goal that was reviewed and upheld, as the Kings won 1-0 Thursday in front of a sellout crowd of 18,118. Goalie Jonathan Quick made 22 saves and notched his NHL-best sixth shutout of the season. Doughty hadn't scored in nearly two months."
Drew Doughty's performance evaluated after Kings' weekend games
November 2
Los Angeles Times
 
"For Drew Doughty, the weekend reviews were almost as expected after having missed two weeks because of an injured right shoulder. The defenseman played at Phoenix on Saturday and at Colorado the following day and was a minus-two and had one assist in the Kings' loss to the Avalanche. "Drew has played with a great deal of 'I-want-to-do-it,' '' Coach Terry Murray said after practice Tuesday. "And he wants to make a difference every time he is on the ice every shift, and sometimes you can get yourself into a little bit of a jackpot when you go into that with that attitude."
Doughty remains out, Quick will sit tonight against New Jersey
October 25
L.A. Daily News
 
"Defenseman Drew Doughty will not play tonight against the New Jersey Devils, which isn't a big surprise since Kings coach Terry Murray would prefer to have him at something close to 100 percent before he returns to the lineup. "We're going to be cautious about it," Doughty said of the injured right shoulder that's sidelined him for three games so far. "It has improved. Every day it's gotten a lot better. That's the biggest key to it. Now it's about making sure it doesn't get re-injured. "In my mind I feel like I could play (tonight), but I probably shouldn't." Goaltender Jonathan Quick also will not play tonight against the Devils, which is a bit of a shocker since he has shutouts in three"
Kings to go into Tuesday's home opener without Drew Doughty
October 18
Los Angeles Times
 
"Those were a costly few seconds in Philadelphia. Flyers rookie forward Zac Rinaldo managed to take out Drew Doughty, the Kings' top defenseman, and Dustin Penner, one of their top six forwards, in one first-period flurry. Rinaldo could have probably glared at someone and caused another injury the way things were going. Doughty will sit out the Kings' Staples Center opener Tuesday night against the St. Louis Blues. He has an injured right shoulder, and the severity of the injury has not been fully disclosed. The Kings are saying he could be out at least seven to 10 days."
Kings place Drew Doughty on injured reserve
October 17
Los Angeles Times
 
"The Kings placed defenseman Drew Doughty on injured reserve Sunday as the result of an apparent shoulder injury that's expected to keep him out of the lineup at least seven to 10 days. To fill Doughty's spot, the Kings recalled defenseman Slava Voynov from Manchester (N.H.) of the American Hockey League. Voynov, who has not made his NHL debut, was expected to arrive in time for the Kings' practice Monday in El Segundo. They play the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday, their Staples Center opener."
Drew Doughty injured, expected to miss at least seven to 10 days
October 16
Los Angeles Times
 
"Kings defenseman Drew Doughty is expected to be out at least seven to 10 days after suffering an undisclosed upper-body injury Saturday, though General Manager Dean Lombardi said via email that the injury was not to the defenseman's head. Doughty, who had a concussion early last season, was slammed hard on a rising, open-ice hit by Flyers forward Zac Rinaldo 20 seconds into the Kings' game at Philadelphia. Doughty appeared dazed when he returned to the bench. According to the time-on-ice charts at the NHL's website, the 21-year-old defenseman played one more shift before being held out of the game. While sitting on the bench Doughty appeared to be favoring his shoulder. Lombardi would not"
Drew Doughty takes ice heavier in wallet but lighter on skates
October 1
Los Angeles Times
 
"Heavier in the wallet, and lighter on the ice … Kings defenseman Drew Doughty, proving again that you can be richer and thinner, was getting reacquainted with his usual line of work in El Segundo on Friday afternoon after signing an eight-year, $56-million contract with the organization. Before a quick session on the ice, Doughty met with a handful of reporters and disclosed that he is 203 pounds, about seven pounds under his usual playing weight. Now back to those other, well, important numbers, more meaningful than the Kings' 3-1 victory against the Ducks at Honda Center on Friday night. Though Doughty is the Kings' highest-paid player — by average annual value — teammate Anze Kopitar"
Kings sign Drew Doughty to eight-year, $56-million deal
September 30
Los Angeles Times
 
"The Kings gave in financially to gain a long-term commitment from defenseman Drew Doughty, reaching agreement Thursday on an eight-year, $56-million contract that will make him their highest-paid player by average annual value. Doughty, 21, is scheduled to undergo a physical at the team's El Segundo training facility Friday and sign the contract that will make him the NHL's third-highest-paid defenseman by average salary. "Let's go win some Cups," said Tim Leiweke, chief executive of AEG, the Kings' parent company. "We just spent more money this off-season than it cost to buy the team. We are committed.""
Leiweke eager for Doughty's return to Kings but backs GM Lombardi
September 27
Los Angeles Times
 
"As a fervent fan, Tim Leiweke is eager to see Drew Doughty wearing a Kings uniform again. As chief executive of AEG, their parent company, Leiweke said he supports General Manager Dean Lombardi in not exceeding an average annual salary of $6.8 million for the unsigned defenseman because the Kings must save salary cap space for upgrades and allocate money to retain the nucleus of a promising young group. Doughty's absence is becoming crucial as the Kings assemble their lineup and prepare for an exhibition game next week and regular-season contests in Germany and Sweden. Leiweke called the 21-year-old "the cornerstone of our organization," and said the Kings' offer reflected their high"
Doughty camping out with Knights
September 21
Ottawa Sun
 
"Recently acquired goalie Jake Patterson will never forget his introduction to the London Knights. One of the first shots the 17-year-old Sault Ste. Marie native faced in practice was from NHL all-star defenceman Drew Doughty. The Los Angeles standout has vowed to continue skating with the Knights until his contract dispute with the Kings is resolved. "I was skating with the rest of the pros at home here last month and when they left, I just stayed on with the Knights," the 21-year-old Doughty said. "I thought it would be better to skate with a team that's getting ready to start a season than just go on my own and it's worked out well.""
Kings' Dean Lombardi says he won't trade rights to Drew Doughty
September 21
Los Angeles Times
 
"Kings General Manager Dean Lombardi said Tuesday he won't trade the rights to restricted free-agent defenseman Drew Doughty even though they've been unable to agree on a new contract. "There's no way," Lombardi said when asked about trading Doughty to break the stalemate. The Kings have offered Doughty up to nine years at an average annual value of $6.8 million but he indicated he doesn't want to sign for that long and give up several years of unrestricted free agency. Doughty also rejected offers of six to eight years. He remained home in London, Canada, while the Kings prepared to start exhibition play with a pair of split-squad games against the Phoenix Coyotes on Wednesday. Although a"
Kings, Doughty still at impasse
September 19
ESPN.com
 
"With physicals done and training camp underway, the focus everywhere this week turns to the ice with the NHL's exhibition season starting. Well, almost everywhere. Each day the Drew Doughty contract situation remains unresolved, it becomes a bigger problem for the Los Angeles Kings and overshadows the rebuilt roster headlined by the additions of Mike Richards and Simon Gagne. I checked in with Kings GM Dean Lombardi on Sunday to see if there was any possibility of a Doughty trade, and he completely shot down the notion. So the ball is in Doughty's court, where the talented defenseman is weighing a seven-year deal that would be worth $6.8 million per season, says Pierre LeBrun."
Kings say it's business as usual without Drew Doughty
September 18
Los Angeles Times
 
"Despite the absence of unsigned defenseman Drew Doughty, the Kings said their first day of training camp in El Segundo was business as usual. "The plans do not change at all," Coach Terry Murray said Saturday. "We're going to miss Doughty. I wish he was here to be a part of it. He's a very important player, a big part of the locker room. He's a fun guy to be around. He's a great player for us but the plan does not change for the training camp. We have to get ready for the start of the year. We'll go through the same plan as we had in the early part of August." General Manager Dean Lombardi said he hadn't spoken Saturday with Doughty's agent, Don Meehan."
Kings paying a price for Drew Doughty holdout
September 18
Los Angeles Times
 columnist Helene Elliott
"Drew Doughty and his agent, Don Meehan, are entitled to ask the Kings for as many millions of dollars as their calculators have digits. They can cite Doughty's fine rookie season and stellar follow-up, which included an Olympic gold medal and top-three Norris Trophy finish. They can downplay his uneven third season by emphasizing his remarkable mobility, vision and scoring potential. But sometime soon they must recognize that it's more important for Doughty to score points on the ice than make points at the bargaining table. Doughty would have gained more by participating in the first training camp sessions Saturday than he will gain if he ultimately prevails in a senseless battle."
Kings make 'best' offer to Drew Doughty, GM says
September 17
Los Angeles Times
 
"General Manager Dean Lombardi said the Kings have made their "best" offer to restricted free agent Drew Doughty and will consider reducing that amount each day the 21-year-old defenseman is unsigned. "We all know he's a lively kid. He loves to play. He brings life to your room, let alone what type of player he is," Lombardi said Friday after the remaining players underwent physical exams and fitness tests to open training camp. "That said, we have to move on here and focus on what we have, and we have a good team. "At some point, he's going to be a King. He's going to be a King a long time. It's a bump in the road, but for the short and long term, there's no doubt that this is the right"
Kings still at odds with Drew Doughty over new contract
September 16
Los Angeles Times
 
"Defenseman Drew Doughty was not expected to report to the Kings' El Segundo training facility Friday for the first day of training camp, clouding the start of the season for a team that had finally assembled the scoring power, depth and maturity to contend for the Stanley Cup. Doughty, a restricted free agent, was home in Canada late Thursday while his agent, Don Meehan, and the Kings remained at odds over a new contract. Meehan said he had received communication from the Kings on Wednesday and replied Thursday after talking to Doughty. "We're committed to being engaged in discussions and we're more than willing to talk," Meehan said by phone Thursday. "I think the next step is for the"
Kings camp nears, and still no Drew Doughty
September 12
Los Angeles Times
 
"AEG, the Kings' parent company, fast-tracked the construction of an NFL stadium in Los Angeles but so far has been unable to get restricted free agent Drew Doughty under contract. As expected, Doughty didn't attend the Kings' Hockey Fest on Sunday at Staples Center. General Manager Dean Lombardi said he would soon talk to his boss, Tim Leiweke, who will discuss with owner Philip Anschutz how far the Kings will go to secure the 21-year-old defenseman. Players are due in El Segundo on Friday for pre-training camp physicals and will take to the ice Saturday. "I still have hope he'll be here Friday. I don't know if I expect it but I have hope," Lombardi said after fielding questions from a"
Kings give Drew Doughty options on length of new contract
August 31
Los Angeles Times
 
"After a long lull in negotiations, the Kings have refined some concepts they previously discussed with representatives of restricted free-agent defenseman Drew Doughty and gave him choices for the duration of a new contract, General Manager Dean Lombardi said Tuesday. Lombardi said he spoke Monday with Doughty's agent, Don Meehan, and made an offer that "codifies what we've been talking about for a while." Lombardi said the offer includes "different lengths for him to consider," likely six to eight years. "Everything's been amicable. We're waiting to hear back from them. They said they'd get back to us in a day or two," Lombardi said. "So in terms of distance, I'll probably have a better"
Kings don't have a deal with Drew Doughty
August 18
Los Angeles Times
 
"Restricted free-agent defenseman Drew Doughty and the Kings remain at odds on a new contract a month before training camp starts, but they were in sync Wednesday in denying reports of an agreement existing in principle or any form. "No, not at all. That's certainly not accurate," Doughty's agent, Don Meehan, said of reports attributed to unnamed sources on hockeybuzz.com and other websites. "We don't have a deal." Kings General Manager Dean Lombardi declined to comment but indicated no accord was near with Doughty, a franchise defenseman and Norris Trophy finalist in 2009-10 as a second-year player."
Kings GM confident about Doughty deal
July 30
NHL.com
 
"If you're a Los Angeles Kings fan worried about the slow-moving contract negotiations between dynamic young defenseman Drew Doughty and the team, GM Dean Lombardi has a message for you. "This isn't a standoff like we've been seeing in Washington," Lombardi said, joking about the current federal government gridlock as a way to find perspective for his efforts to re-sign Doughty. "I'm fairly confident that we'll be able to get this done." The Kings boss and Doughty's representatives (Don Meehan and Mark Guy of Newport Sports Management) have been in communication during the past few days in an effort to move the conversation toward a resolution. "We've been talking," Lombardi said."
Drew Doughty, Shea Weber deals remain works in progress
July 21
SportingNews.com
 
"Drew Doughty will pay close attention to the Toronto Maple Leafs' negotiations with Luke Schenn. Doughty, of the Los Angeles Kings, and Schenn are both defenseman, restricted free agents and top-five picks from the 2008 NHL Draft. And both are connected to agent Don Meehan. So it's only natural that Doughty to watch Schenn's contract discussions, which reports from Toronto say should open this week. For now, they are the two most experienced young defensemen among an elite four in their draft class and could have big NHL futures. Doughty's entry-level deal is up, and his camp and the Kings are slowly working toward a long-term pact. Steven Stamkos, 2008's No. 1 overall pick, signed a five"
Why Karl Alzner's signing proves there won't be offer sheets for Drew Doughty or Steven Stamkos
July 17
Pro Hockey Talk
 
"When Washington re-signed Karl Alzner to a two-year, $2.57 million deal the most stunning part of the contract was how cheaply it was and with how few years it came attached with it. Capitals GM George McPhee chalked it up as another cap management victory this summer and those watching things around the league were left amazed for a couple of reasons. Not only was McPhee able to keep one of his young stud defensive stoppers, he was able to do it without outside interference in the form of an offer sheet. Last year we saw one restricted free agent signed to an offer sheet as Sharks GM Doug Wilson tried to take advantage of the Blackhawks poor salary cap situation by signing Niklas"
Drew Doughty apparently waiting for Kings to make the next move
July 13
Los Angeles Times
 
"It's apparently up to the Kings to end the long lull in talks on a new contract for restricted free agent defenseman Drew Doughty. Don Meehan, who teams with Mark Guy in representing Doughty, said Tuesday he hadn't spoken to the Kings about Doughty since June 23. Meehan said he assumed the Kings were focusing on their trade for Mike Richards and (ultimately futile) pursuit of free agent Brad Richards, but those deals are long done. It's believed the Kings are offering up to nine years at more than $6.5 million per year. "I think he'd be happy to stay if we agree upon terms that are acceptable to him," Meehan said. "And those are our instructions, to negotiate with L.A. on that basis to"
Cautious NHL bosses play nice on Stamkos, Doughty
July 9
The Globe and Mail
 
"They are two of the best and brightest young stars in the NHL, and both are locked deep in difficult contract negotiations with their teams after only their third season. One is Tampa Bay Lightning centre Steven Stamkos, the first overall pick in the 2008 draft who has already hit the 90-point mark twice, finishing fifth in league scoring in both his second and third seasons. The other is Los Angeles Kings defenceman Drew Doughty, taken right after Stamkos and considered one of the top 10 blueliners in the game, already earning a Norris Trophy nomination and winning gold with the Canadian Olympic team. Just 21 years old and set to be major contributors in the league for the next dozen"
Kings make "major offer" to restricted free agent-to-be Drew Doughty
June 20
Pro Hockey Talk
 
"This summer of free agency could shape up to be another one fraught with high-level pursuit for the Los Angeles Kings. Last summer, they pursued and failed to attain Ilya Kovalchuk and this summer it's likely they'll be in the hunt for Brad Richards. They've got some other business to attend to first and getting soon-to-be restricted free agent defenseman Drew Doughty signed to a long-term deal is at the top of the list. Last season's Norris Trophy finalist is set to cash in in a major way and with a few teams set to have a lot of cash to spend and salary cap room to play with, taking a chance on having Doughty hit the restricted market isn't too appealing. While the Kings are set to have"
Doughty makes amends as Kings even up series
April 17
L.A. Daily News
 
"Drew Doughty admitted he flubbed a defensive assignment in Game 1 that led to a San Jose goal. Let's just say the Kings defenseman made up for it in Game2. Doughty was involved in every goal Saturday as the underdog Kings seized home ice from the Sharks with a decisive 4-0 victory in Game 2 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs in front of 17,562 at HP Pavilion. "I was definitely a little more motivated," said Doughty, who scored two goals and had two assists. "I was upset that I messed up on that one goal in the first game - not that I was going to overdo it and try to make up for it too much, but I definitely wanted to, and I thought I played a good game tonight. "I'm"
Run-in with Doughty overblown: Hall
February 4
Edmonton Journal
 
"Taylor Hall had a good chuckle about his second run-in of his rookie season with Los Angeles Kings defenceman Drew Doughty the night previous, as he caught the visiting rearguard in the mouth with the butt end of his stick as he dodged a check along the boards. Asked if there was a running feud with Doughty, who cranked Hall — who had his head down the last time these two teams met and began a skirmish in which Hall himself threw an uppercut with his glove on and then had Dustin Penner ride to his rescue — the young Oiler smiled and obliged. "I think it was a little overblown, definitely," Hall said of Wednesday's highlight coverage on television. "It's just a player competing against"
L.A. fan Doughty living his dream
November 23
Ottawa Citizen
 columnist Wayne Scanlan
"As a boy growing up in London, Ont., Doughty latched onto Wayne Gretzky as his favourite player, and when Gretzky moved on from Los Angeles to St. Louis and then New York, Doughty took his fan allegiance to those cities. But until he turned seven in 1996 — the year Gretz moved to the Blues, Doughty's world was black and silver. Doughty's grandfather would take Drew to Maple Leaf Gardens when the Kings visited, and L.A. visited more regularly in the 1990s because Toronto was a Western Conference team. The boyhood thrills returned when Doughty heard his name called, second overall, by the Kings at the 2008 NHL entry draft. The Atlanta Thrashers picked next. "Not that I have anything against"
Kings have some fun and fight in them to beat Tampa Bay, 1-0
November 5
Los Angeles Times
 
"Drew Doughty made it a personal mission Thursday to shut down Tampa Bay center Steven Stamkos, a friend and fellow member of the 2008 NHL draft class. It was a tall order. Stamkos is the NHL's top scorer, the Lightning was ranked No. 1 in the Eastern Conference, and Doughty was playing for the first time since he suffered a concussion on Oct. 20. But Doughty and the Kings accomplished their task, staying atop the NHL standings with a 1-0 victory before an announced sellout crowd of 18,118 at Staples Center. In a rugged game that boiled over to produce a third-period fight between Willie Mitchell and Tampa Bay's Steve Downie after Downie hit Doughty, the Kings (9-3) extended their home"
Drew Doughty will return, with a mouth guard
November 4
Los Angeles Times
 
"Defenseman Drew Doughty, scheduled to play Thursday for the first time since he suffered a concussion Oct. 20, said he will start wearing a mouth guard as a precautionary measure against future injuries. Many concussion experts believe mouth guards reduce concussive forces and dissipate or absorb the energy of an upward blow to the jaw. Doughty, 20, said after practice Wednesday in El Segundo that he previously had some "little minor" concussions that kept him out of a game here or there. He briefly wore a mouth guard last season but wasn't wearing one when he collided with Carolina's Erik Cole. "I'm not a fan of the mouth guard. I should be," he said. "The team is trying to get me to wear"
Kings' Drew Doughty cleared to play after concussion
November 3
Los Angeles Times
 
"Kings defenseman Drew Doughty, who suffered a concussion Oct. 20, was cleared by team medical personnel Tuesday night to resume all hockey activities, a club spokesman said. The Kings are expected to activate him off injured reserve Wednesday and have him in uniform Thursday when they face the Tampa Bay Lightning at Staples Center. Doughty practiced Tuesday morning in El Segundo but wore the yellow jersey that signifies non-contact status. He said he was eager to return but cautious. "The first thought is making sure I'm healthy," he said before taking the post-concussion tests, which measure memory, coordination, vision and reactions against readings taken before the injury. "I feel good"
Drew Doughty hopes to return by Thursday
October 30
Los Angeles Times
 
"Kings defenseman Drew Doughty spoke about his concussion publicly for the first time Friday, saying his recovery process was going well and that he hopes to be back in the lineup soon. Doughty, who hasn't played since Oct. 20 when he and Carolina Hurricanes forward Erik Cole collided, will not be in the lineup Saturday when the Kings host the New Jersey Devils. He skirted the question as to whether he is still experiencing symptoms during on-ice workouts but was upbeat. "I feel good," said Doughty, who skated Thursday but not Friday. "I think right now it's just making sure I am ready to be back in game form." With the team on the road for the past week, he said staying in shape without a"
Kings put Drew Doughty on IR
October 26
ESPN.com
 
"Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty was placed on injured reserve Monday retroactive to Oct. 21, and the club recalled Jake Muzzin from the Manchester Monarchs. Doughty suffered an apparent concussion Wednesday against the visiting Carolina Hurricanes and left the game in the first period. An NHL player is ineligible to return from injured reserve within seven days, leaving Doughty unavailable for Wednesday's game at Chicago and doubtful for Thursday's at Dallas. The Kings are only calling Doughty's ailment an upper-body injury."
Doughty out at least a week with upper-body injury
October 22
TSN.ca
 
"The Los Angeles Kings will be without star defenceman Drew Doughty for at least a week because of an upper-body injury. The Kings confirmed that the 20-year old would not be traveling with the team to Phoenix for Thursday night's encounter with the Coyotes, and general manager Dean Lombardi would not disclose what the injury was. Doughty suffered the injury late in the first period of Wednesday night's game against the Carolina Hurricanes when he was hit hard by 'Canes forward Erik Cole. Doughty was forced to leave the game and did not return. While there had been some speculation that Cole would face possible supplemental discipline for the hit, the NHL feels the collision was more"
Kings defeat Hurricanes, 4-3, but Drew Doughty is injured
October 21
Los Angeles Times
 
"The Kings want no uncertainty about their goaltending situation, and they're not getting any. Jonathan Bernier's second outing of the season was hardly the equal of Jonathan Quick's stellar start — though he was at his best when needed most. The real uncertainty after a 4-3 win over the Carolina Hurricanes at Staples Center on Wednesday was the availability of defenseman Drew Doughty, who left the game after one period with one of hockey's purposefully vague assessments, "an upper-body injury." Doughty was not traveling with the team for Thursday's game at Phoenix, but Coach Terry Murray said Doughty could join the team there. He described the play Doughty was injured on in the first"
Kings measure Drew Doughty's growth in leaps and bounds
October 9
Los Angeles Times
 
"By 2008, the Kings had been bad enough for long enough to get some prime draft picks, but the No. 2 selection - their reward for finishing next to last - was crucial to accelerating their rebuilding process. They couldn't mess this up. Gifted center Steven Stamkos was the clear No. 1, bound for Tampa Bay. After that, there was a lot of talent but no consensus. One stood out, however, to Kings General Manager Dean Lombardi. He sensed something special in defenseman Drew Doughty, who grew up sleeping on a Kings pillowcase and using a Kings telephone because he loved Wayne Gretzky. Like everyone else, Lombardi saw Doughty's remarkable hockey sense - and the baby fat that had teams questioning"
Doughty, Green, Keith to vie for Norris Trophy
April 23
NHL.com
 
"Drew Doughty of the Los Angeles Kings, Mike Green of the Washington Capitals and Duncan Keith of the Chicago Blackhawks are the finalists for the 2009-10 Norris Trophy. None are older than 26, the three Canadians finished 1-2-3 among defensemen in scoring, and one will be a first-time winner of the honor. The James Norris Memorial Trophy is presented annually "to the defense player who demonstrates throughout the season the greatest all-round ability in the position." The winner is selected in a poll by the Professional Hockey Writers' Association at the end of the regular season. The winner of the trophy will be announced at the 2010 NHL Awards, to be held in Las Vegas on June 23. The"
Kings' Drew Doughty quickly learning Sedinery
April 20
Vancouver Sun
 columnist Ian MacIntyre
"He doesn't know his Daniel from his Henrik and can't keep straight in his head which of the Vancouver Canuck twins won the National Hockey League scoring title and which one might have had he not missed 19 games. But Drew Doughty knows enough to expect any Sedin to pass first, which is why with four minutes left in the third period of a playoff game against the Los Angeles Kings absolutely needed Saturday, the defenceman cheated away from the puck carrier and intercepted Daniel's pass to Henrik on a 2-on-1 to deprive the Canucks a regulation-time victory. Instead, the Kings made it to overtime and won 3-2 on Anze Kopitar's goal, which Doughty assisted. And for the second time in two"
Kings looking to put first-time nervousness behind them
April 17
Los Angeles Times
 
"Drew Doughty's maturation has been so rapid, it's no surprise he sounded like an expert on the Stanley Cup playoffs after only one postseason game. Asked Friday for his thoughts on the Kings' performance in their 3-2 overtime loss to the Canucks the previous day, he responded with his usual assurance. "It's kind of a good feeling knowing we didn't play our best and still went to overtime," said Doughty, one of nine Kings in uniform for their first NHL playoff game. "It was a really physical game. That's how the playoffs are." Doughty played 23 minutes 32 seconds and was credited with one shot and two hits. He also took a huge, clean hit from Alex Edler at 12:21 of the third period but"
No doubts for Doughty, just fun
April 16
Vancouver Province
 
"You might not guess it from the four regular-season games he played against the Canucks, but anyone who watched the Olympic men's hockey tournament knows what an impact Drew Doughty can have on the Western Conference quarterfinal series. The Los Angeles Kings defence-man is a key player the Canucks must contend with, right up there with leading scorer Anze Kopitar and goalie Jonathan Quick. Doughty does it all -- from shutting down the other team's top players to putting up points himself. Doughty has done all this in just his second NHL season and at the improbably young age of 20 -- an achievement that already has him in the Norris Trophy conversation this year. "I'm pumped," said"
Drew Doughty gets the thrill of a lifetime
December 31
Los Angeles Times
 
"Drew Doughty had trouble sleeping Tuesday night, knowing the announcement of Canada's Olympic hockey team was due early Wednesday. When exhaustion overtook him he was out so cold he missed the call telling him he had made the roster for the Vancouver Games, getting the news only after Team Canada executive Doug Armstrong reached out a second time. "I knew I had a shot at one of those last spots there," Doughty said Wednesday. "Getting that phone call this morning was surprising but definitely one of my greatest moments." The selection of Doughty, the youngest player at 20, and the omission of 33-year-old Kings left wing Ryan Smyth signaled a sharp change of philosophy for Canada, which"
Canadians crown youthful King
December 31
Toronto Star
 
"Team Canada didn't go with Mike Green, it went with someone greener. In a move that best represents a changing of the guard – and changing of the rearguard – on Canada's Olympic hockey team, 20-year-old Drew Doughty was introduced Wednesday as one of the squad's blueliners. While Doughty's steady work three time zones away with the Los Angeles Kings may be unfamiliar to some hockey fans in the east, he was selected to the team over Green, the creative Capital who leads all NHL defenders in scoring."