Drew Doughty’s path to the Los Angeles Kings captaincy began long before he reached the NHL. Growing up in London, Ontario, the 36-year-old defenseman covered his room in Kings colors, slept with Los Angeles pillowcases and wore the club’s jerseys. Now, 18 seasons after the Kings made him the second pick of the 2008 NHL Draft, he is taking over as the franchise’s 15th captain.
“I had LA Kings pillow covers and LA Kings stuff all over my walls in my bedroom, and only had LA Kings jerseys,” Doughty said. “I can’t believe how this all worked out.”
A franchise defenseman takes the C
Doughty already owns the major Kings records for a defenseman. He has played 1,279 regular-season games, producing 165 goals, 544 assists and 709 points. His playoff resume includes 19 goals, 42 assists and 61 points across 105 games.
His defining work in Los Angeles, however, remains the two Stanley Cups. Doughty helped deliver the first championship in club history in 2012, then won again in 2014. The Kings have not captured a playoff round since closing out the New York Rangers in five games in the 2014 Final.
- The Kings named Doughty an alternate captain in 2015-16, when Anze Kopitar succeeded Dustin Brown as captain.
- Kopitar retired after 20 NHL seasons, all in Los Angeles, opening the captaincy.
- Los Angeles announced Doughty as its next captain after another early spring exit, a four-game sweep against the Colorado Avalanche in April.
- Doughty’s first job with the C will be to help halt a run of five straight Western Conference First Round eliminations.
“That’s what I’m still playing for,” Doughty said of another title chase. “Everybody in this room wants to win a championship. We want the Stanley Cup. That’s what matters to me, and that’s what I’ll try to drive this team toward.”
A louder voice in the room
Doughty takes over from a captain known for a calm, measured approach. He does not expect the transition from Kopitar to weigh on him, even if he recognizes the added responsibility that comes with leading the room.
“Kopi was quieter and showed teammates what to do,” Doughty said. “I’m louder and more emotional. I do those things, too, but that’s where we are different. That’s why we were able to lead together.”
He added that any extra pressure comes from wanting to do the job well, not from following Kopitar specifically.
Kopitar texted his former alternate captain Wednesday night to offer congratulations. Their exchange soon shifted away from hockey, with Doughty checking in on Kopitar and his family after their return to Slovenia.
Leadership group remains deep
Adrian Kempe was the first Kings player to contact Doughty after the announcement. General manager Ken Holland said the 30-year-old Swedish forward was among the leading internal options for the captaincy.
Kempe will continue as an alternate captain alongside defenseman Mikey Anderson. Artemi Panarin will serve as the third alternate in his first full Los Angeles season after arriving in a Feb. 4 trade from the New York Rangers.
Holland said Doughty’s pride in the assignment made the choice clear after discussions with coach Peter Laviolette.
“We have plenty of leaders in that dressing room,” Holland said. “But Peter and I talked, then we spoke with Drew. You can see his passion and how much this means to him. Making him captain felt like the natural move.”
