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Drew Doughty's return could be on the horizon for the Los Angeles Kings.
The veteran, who broke his ankle in late September in preseason action, practiced for the first time on Monday since the incident, per NHL.com. Doughty's Kings teammates were also fired up to have him back on the ice.
“It was awesome,” forward Trevor Moore said. “We missed Drew a lot; I think it’s no secret. His energy, his elite hockey sense is missed on our team, so we’re happy to see him out there.”
“He was already hooting and hollering out there the first day back, so it’s great to have him,” Trevor Lewis said.
Doughty is a consistent producer for the Kings. Last season, he scored 15 goals and supplied 35 assists in 82 games. Aside from his ability to contribute offensively, Doughty is also a leader and a vocal presence. He's been with the organization since 2008-09, winning two Stanley Cups in 2012 and 2014.
Kings head coach Jim Hiller isn't exactly sure when Doughty will return to the lineup, but he believes it's not far down the line:
“You can ask that question. I don’t know when, and that’s the honest answer,” Hiller said. “But I would say this, it’s coming. It’s coming, and it’s hopefully not too far away.”
Even without Doughty, LA is having a solid campaign. They're in third place in the always competitive Pacific Division, compiling a 25-14-4 record. Adrian Kempe has scored a team-best 23 goals in 2024-25, while veteran Anze Kopitar is tied with Kempe for the team lead in points with 43.
However, the Kings have lost back-to-back games and will be looking to respond on Wednesday evening when they face the defending champion Florida Panthers. That ends a two-game homestand before heading out on the road for five matchups out east to close out the month of January.