Los Angeles Kings News

Kings defenseman Drew Doughty is expected to be out at least seven to 10 days after suffering an undisclosed upper-body injury Saturday, though General Manager Dean Lombardi said via email that the injury was not to the defenseman’s head.

Doughty left the game following a big hit by the Flyers' Zac Rinaldo. In his four games this season, Doughty registered one assist with a minus-1 rating. With a shortened training camp Doughty could be more susceptible to injury. More to come...

Drew Doughty
Energy-wise, conditioning-wise, he’s real good. Now there’s a team thing, where it’s (about) working on our system. He missed a big part of our camp because of the contract. So there’s a great review for him, to go through the fundamental part of it.

Doughty has acclimated to the Kings' system following holding out during the preseason. At this point the offensive isn't quite there -- one assist through two games -- but it should come back with time.

Drew Doughty
Kopitar was downright dominant for long stretches of the Kings’ season-opening victory over the New York Rangers, with a goal and an assist, and in Saturday’s loss to Buffalo, he scored the Kings’ two goals

Kopitar has three goals and four points over his first two games, dominating his opposition. At this rate, he could fully break out into the elite and possibly top 100 points.

Anze Kopitar
“I see nothing wrong with two guys at the same level if they chose to drop the gloves,” Carlyle said. “When there’s a mismatch as far as the level of player…Dubinsky’s a pretty good player, and so is Corey Perry. If it’s a different level of player fighting a more skilled player then I look at it differently.”

Good to see coach Randy Carlyle will let Corey Perry fight at his leisure. Last season, the MVP fought twice according to HockeyFights.com; he might break that marker this season.

Corey Perry
The Ducks’ “Big 3? hadn’t done much this preseason, until Tuesday. Perry scored twice and Getzlaf had the game-winner in overtime as the Ducks won their exhibition finale over Jokerit, 4-3.

Sounds like coach Randy Carlyle pondered breaking up the Big 3 in an attempt to get them going. Last season, Perry wowed hockey fans around the glob with 50 goals and 98 points. While the manner he scored those goals will be difficult to replicate, 35-40 tallies are to be expected.

Corey Perry
Per agreement with the Hamburg team, both teams will dress 22 players. That allows the Kings to play eight defensemen and ease Drew Doughty back into the lineup. Doughty said he had been skating five days a week back home and feels ready.

Expect Doughty to take a couple shifts with the team as he gets back to NHL speed. Starting the season in Europe probably won't help him get acclimated either. Regardless, his totals of last season -- 11 goals, 40 points -- should be his absolute floor.

Drew Doughty
"The only worry I had was whether I could get into the right shape," Kopitar said, "the right conditioning that I'm supposed to be in and that I want to be in. It turned out good. Once I got the walking boot off and I could walk on my own, I just started doing a lot of rehab work, getting my ankle stronger. Next thing you know, I was running already."

Certainly sounds like Kopitar is fully healthy. The Slovenian pivot scored 25 goals and 73 points last season. Feel free to draft him as early as the first or second round.

Anze Kopitar