Kings’ Drew Doughty to return after seven-game absence
The Los Angeles Kings will get a boost on their blue line as team reporter Zach Dooley confirmed Thursday Drew Doughty has been cleared to return to the lineup for the Kings’ matchup against the Chicago Blackhawks.
Drew Doughty will play tonight for the @LAKings!
Said he feels good, has skated a ton on his own, cardio is where it needs to be.
Kings get their number-one defenseman back against Chicago.
— Zach Dooley (@DooleyLAK) December 4, 2025
Dooley also confirmed that Warren Foegele and Phillip Danault are both expected to be in the lineup for L.A. when they face the Blackhawks.
Also expecting both Warren Foegele and Phillip Danault to be in tonight's @LAKings lineup.
Not sure exactly what that means for lines/pairs, so will have to wait for warmups for a full confirmation. https://t.co/zcajOqkqwX
— Zach Dooley (@DooleyLAK) December 4, 2025
Doughty has been out of the lineup since the Kings’ Nov. 15 contest against the Ottawa Senators. He suffered a lower-body injury after blocking a shot from Senators’ defenseman Tyler Kleven. He slowly got off the ice and did not return, and it was later confirmed Doughty left the rink with a walking boot.
Meanwhile, Foegele has been out of the lineup since Oct. 26 when he left their game against Chicago with an upper-body injury.
Through 19 games in 2025-26, Doughty has two goals and six assists for eight points, averaging 23:08 of ice time. In 18 NHL seasons, Doughty, taken No. 2 overall in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, has 162 goals and 532 assists for 694 points, averaging 26:07 of ice time in 1,225 regular-season games.
The four-time All-Star also won the Norris Trophy for the league’s top defender in 2015-16, scoring 14 goals and 37 assists for 51 points.
Doughty has played in 101 playoff games, scoring 18 goals and 39 assists for 57 points, averaging just under 28 minutes of ice time during that span. The majority of those came in a three-year span when the Kings won two Stanley Cup championships in 2012 and 2014.
Internationally, Doughty has represented Canada several times. The London, Ont., native won two Olympic gold medals in 2010 and 2014, scoring four goals and four assists for eight points in 13 Olympic games. He also played at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, as well as the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off, helping Canada win both times.