Drew Doughty leaves the game following awkward collision with former teammate

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Cooper Godin
September 26, 2024 (7:25)

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Los Angeles Kings defenceman Drew Doughty was forced to leave the game on Wednesday following awkward collision with one of his former teammates.

It was a tough scene for Los Angeles Kings fans on Wednesday night as the team was taking on the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena, where a number of their regulars were in the lineup including Drew Doughty.

Doughty is set to embark on his 17th season in the National Hockey League, however, an injury against Vegas could delay to his start to the new campaign.

Nearly eight minutes into the opening frame, Doughty was attempting to chase down his former teammate Tanner Pearson, who's with the Golden Knights on a professional tryout. As the two reach the blue line right in front of the Kings' bench, they both fall to the ice, with Doughty jamming his left ankle into the boards, which bent in an awkward way.

Doughty was down on the ice in obvious pain and needed to be helped back to the Kings bench by his teammates and down the tunnel to the locker room without putting any weight on his left ankle.

Not long after Doughty went back to the team's locker room to be evaluated, the Los Angeles Kings posted on their public relations account on X that the 34-year-old would not be returning to the game due to a lower-body injury.

The London, Ontario native will likely undergo several tests in the coming days, including X-rays and an MRI to determine the severity of his injury. For a Kings team that's looking to get over the hump after not making it past the first round since winning it all in 2014, losing Drew Doughty is not what they need.

If Drew Doughty is out for an extended period of time, the Kings will more than likely have to fill his spot with an in-house option due to their salary cap situation. One player that likely has an inside track at making the Kings' opening night roster is 2021 first-round pick Brandt Clarke, who appeared in 16 games for Los Angeles last season and nine the season prior.

More will be known about Drew Doughty and his injury in the coming days, but everyone is hoping for the best and that he'll be back on the ice as soon as he's able to.