Drew Doughty’s Return Sparks Cautious Optimism for Kings

According to Darren Dreger via TSN Insider Trading, Drew Doughty is expected to rejoin the team next week. Although it is unclear whether he will be ready to play immediately, he will be in one of the final stages of ramping up before returning to game action.

Doughty has missed the entire season due to an injury suffered during the preseason. The veteran Kings defenseman recorded back-to-back 50-point seasons and saw an increase in goals scored in the most recent campaign. His return could boost a team currently on one of the best hot streaks in the league, only shadowed by their divisional rivals in Vegas and Edmonton.

It's important to note that while Doughty's return is significant, the Kings do not necessarily need him to fill a glaring gap in their defense. They currently have the best defensive team in the NHL, and their main challenge is scoring, as evidenced in their last three games (2-1 OT win, 2-1 loss, 1-0 loss). Doughty's return will shift the defensive lineup, possibly moving players who have had strong seasons into lesser roles, but he likely won't dramatically improve the team's offensive output.

Doughty is a proven 50-point player and a contributor on the power play, offering a more prominent shot threat than young defenseman Brandt Clarke. However, it's worth noting that the pairing of Mikey Anderson and Doughty may not be much better than the current combination of Anderson and Vladislav Gavrikov.

In particular, the Doughty-Anderson duo has struggled against Connor McDavid over the past three seasons. In 65 minutes and 50 seconds on the ice against McDavid, they recorded a Corsi of 36.3%, a Fenwick of 39.58%, were outshot 41-27, outscored 4-3, out-chanced 55-30, and faced 27 high-danger chances compared to 17.

That's just against McDavid, that's not considering that Leon Draisaitl might be the harder matchup this year while he's having a Hart worthy campaign. Pick your poison.

This matchup against the Edmonton Oilers exemplifies the challenge the Kings have struggled to overcome for three consecutive seasons. Doughty's role in addressing this challenge is more of a long-term solution than finding a short-term solution for their current scoring issues.

While Doughty's return may boost the struggling power play, he does not solve all of the team's problems, and the Kings will need to look elsewhere for ways to enhance their offensive production.

The Kings will welcome Doughty back with open arms next week, as having a top defenseman is a positive addition to a lineup that has been effective at even strength and defensively throughout the Rob Blake era. However, as the trade deadline approaches, Blake must explore creative solutions to bolster the team's offense, especially with Doughty's significant salary coming off the LTIR pool.