The long wait is over for Drew Doughty.
The Los Angeles Kings defenceman will make his season debut against the Florida Panthers, head coach Jim Hiller confirmed.
Doughty has not played this year after fracturing his ankle during a pre-season game.
This will provide a massive boost to the Kings who have managed to sit third in the Pacific Division despite not having Doughty available.
He joined the team’s four-game road trip, which began Saturday in Columbus, and has a back-to-back against the Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning before ending in Carolina on Saturday.
The 35-year-old’s return also comes at a crucial time for him to showcase himself as a potential injury replacement on Team Canada’s roster for the 4 Nation Face-Off.
Doughty has made it known his desire to play for Canada despite the lengthy layoff.
“I’m still hoping I have that outside chance of playing in that 4 Nations,” Doughty said. “I don’t want to break, I want to play, so we’ll see what happens.”
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4 Nations Face-Off
With the inaugural edition of the 4 Nations Face-Off fast approaching, be sure to catch up on all the latest news about the highly-anticipated best-on-best event. Puck drops on Feb. 12, 2025, on Sportsnet.
A spot on Team Canada’s defence opened up Sunday after Alex Pietrangelo withdrew from the tournament “to tend to an ailment and prepare for the remainder of the regular season.”
Doughty helped Canada win the 2016 World Cup of Hockey and capture gold medals at the 2010 and 2014 Olympics.
