Drew Doughty facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Drew Doughty
Doughty with the Los Angeles Kings in October 2022
Born	(1989-12-08) December 8, 1989 (age 35) London, Ontario, Canada
Height	6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight	202 lb (92 kg; 14 st 6 lb)
Position	Defence
Shoots	Right
NHL team	Los Angeles Kings
National team	Canada
NHL Draft	2nd overall, 2008 Los Angeles Kings
Playing career	2008–present

Drew Doughty (born December 8, 1989) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player. He plays as a defenceman and is an alternate captain for the Los Angeles Kings in the National Hockey League (NHL). The Kings picked him second overall in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. Before joining the NHL, he played for the Guelph Storm in the OHL. There, he was twice named the league's best offensive defenceman.

Doughty started his NHL career at just 18 years old in 2008. He quickly became a star, earning a spot on the All-Rookie Team. He has won the Stanley Cup twice with the Kings, in 2012 and 2014. He also has two Olympic gold medals with the Canadian national team. These wins were at Vancouver 2010 and Sochi 2014. In 2016, he won the James Norris Memorial Trophy, given to the NHL's best defenceman.

Drew Doughty's Early Life

Drew Doughty was born in London, Ontario, Canada. His parents are Paul and Connie Doughty. He got his first mini hockey stick for his first birthday. He was skating by age two and playing hockey before he turned four.

Drew also played soccer when he was younger. He was a goalkeeper. His father loved soccer, and his sister Chelsea is even named after the famous English team, Chelsea F.C.. Drew was good enough to be considered for a provincial under-14 soccer team. However, he stopped playing soccer at 16 to focus on hockey. He believes playing soccer helped him understand the game better in hockey.

Drew Doughty's Hockey Journey

Playing in Junior Leagues

The Guelph Storm picked Drew Doughty fifth overall in the 2005 Ontario Hockey League (OHL) draft. In his first season (2005–06), he scored five goals and 33 points. He was named to the OHL All-Rookie Team as a defenceman.

Drew played in the 2007 OHL All-Star Game. Coaches voted him the top offensive defenceman in the league. This was after he scored 74 points in the 2006–07 season. He won these honors again in 2007–08, scoring 50 points. He also received the Max Kaminsky Trophy as the OHL's best defenceman.

NHL scouts ranked Doughty as the third-best North American player for the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. The Los Angeles Kings chose him second overall. Drew was very excited because he grew up as a Kings fan. He always dreamed of playing in Los Angeles.

Becoming a Star with the Los Angeles Kings (2008–Present)

Starting Strong in Los Angeles (2008–2011)

Drew Doughty made the Kings' team right away for the 2008–09 NHL season. He was one of only eight 18-year-olds to play in the NHL that year. Drew was surprised to make it to the NHL so quickly. He played his first NHL game on October 11, 2008. His first goal came on October 20 against the Colorado Avalanche.

The Kings decided to keep him for the whole season. His teammate, Sean O'Donnell, praised Drew's maturity. In his first season, he played 81 games, scoring six goals and 21 assists. He was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team. He also played in the Youngstars Game during the 2009 All-Star weekend.

Drew Doughty during warmup before a game in April 2009.

In his second season (2009–10), Drew improved to 59 points. He was third in scoring among all defencemen in the league. He was named to the second all-star team. He was also a finalist for the James Norris Memorial Trophy as the league's best defenceman. His coach, Terry Murray, praised his growth. Drew helped the Kings reach the playoffs for the first time since 2002. They lost in the first round to the Vancouver Canucks.

The Kings' media voted Doughty the team's best defenceman for three seasons in a row. His points dropped a bit in 2010–11, but he reached 100 career points on December 21, 2010. After that season, Drew signed a big eight-year, $56 million contract with the Kings. This made him the highest-paid player on the team at the time.

Winning the Stanley Cup (2011–2015)

Drew Doughty signed his big contract with the Kings on September 29, 2011. He missed some of the team's training camp before signing. His season started a bit slowly, but things changed when Darryl Sutter became head coach in December 2011. Coach Sutter helped Drew focus more on his defensive play.

Drew became the top-scoring defenceman in the 2012 playoffs. He had 16 points in 20 games. He helped the Kings win their first-ever Stanley Cup championship! Many people said Drew was the best player in the final series against the New Jersey Devils.

Drew won his second Stanley Cup in 2014. The Kings beat the New York Rangers in five games in the Stanley Cup Finals. With this win, Drew became one of only a few players to win both an Olympic hockey gold medal and the Stanley Cup in the same year.

On February 21, 2015, Drew played his 500th NHL game. This was a 2–1 win against the San Jose Sharks. Even though the Kings missed the playoffs that year, Drew played in all 82 games. He had 46 points and was a finalist for the James Norris Memorial Trophy again.

Norris Trophy Win and Continued Success (2015–2023)

During the 2015–16 season, Drew Doughty had a career-best plus 24 rating. He also played in all 82 games and scored 51 points. At the end of the year, Drew won the James Norris Memorial Trophy. This award is for the NHL's top defenceman. It was his first time winning it, after being a finalist two other times.

Drew Doughty warming up before a playoff game in April 2016.

In the 2016–17 season, Drew was chosen for the 2017 NHL All-Star Game. He was a leader on the team's defence. He was also picked for the All-Star Game in the 2017–18 season, making it his fourth time in a row. He was a finalist for the Norris Trophy again that year.

On January 30, 2018, Drew scored his 100th NHL goal. On July 1, 2018, he signed a new 8-year, $88 million contract with the Kings. This contract keeps him with the team until the 2026–27 season.

In the 2021–22 season, Drew played his 1,000th NHL game on January 27, 2022. This was a big milestone for him. In the 2022–23 season, Drew played 81 games. He had a strong year with 52 points.

Recent Years (2023–Present)

On October 21, 2023, Drew Doughty played his 1,100th NHL game. He became only the fourth player in Kings history to reach this mark. On February 29, 2024, he recorded his 500th assist. This was on a goal by Anže Kopitar.

Drew finished the 2023–24 season playing all 82 games. He scored 15 goals and 35 assists for 50 points. The Kings played the Edmonton Oilers in the playoffs, but lost the series.

Drew Doughty's International Play

Medal record
Men's ice hockey
Representing  Canada
Winter Olympics
Gold	2010 Vancouver
Gold	2014 Sochi
World Championships
Silver	2009 Switzerland
Canada Cup/World Cup
Gold	2016 Toronto
World Junior Championships
Gold	2008 Czech Republic

Drew Doughty has played for Team Canada many times. In 2006, he won a gold medal with the national under-18 team. He also played in the 2007 Super Series against Russian juniors. Canada won that series without losing a game.

He earned a spot on the roster for the 2008 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. Drew was named a tournament all-star and the best defenceman. He helped Canada win their fourth gold medal in a row at that tournament.

Drew Doughty (number 8) celebrates after Sidney Crosby's gold-medal winning goal at the 2010 Winter Olympics.

After his first NHL season, Drew joined the senior team for the 2009 World Championships. Canada won silver after losing to Russia in the final. His strong play earned him a spot on Canada's team for the 2010 Winter Olympics. Drew became the youngest player to represent Canada in a major tournament since Eric Lindros in 1991. He was a key defender and won a gold medal as Canada beat the United States in the final game. He was on the ice when Sidney Crosby scored the winning goal in overtime.

Drew was a star at the 2014 Winter Olympics too. Canada won gold again, defending their title. He led the team with four goals. The team's defence was amazing, allowing only three goals in six games. This was one of the best team performances in Olympic history.

Drew Doughty's Personal Life

Drew Doughty's grandparents on his mother's side came to Canada from Portugal in the 1950s. His grandparents on his father's side came from England in the 1970s.

Career statistics

Bold indicates led league

International

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2006	Canada	IH18			4	0	4	4	6
2007	Canada	WJC18	4th		6	2	3	5	8
2007	Canada	SS			8	0	2	2	4
2008	Canada	WJC			7	0	4	4	0
2009	Canada	WC			9	1	6	7	4
2010	Canada	Oly			7	0	2	2	2
2014	Canada	Oly			6	4	2	6	0
2016	Canada	WCH			6	0	2	2	2
Junior totals					25	2	13	15	18
Senior totals					28	5	12	17	8

Awards and Honours