Season Review: Drew Doughty

by RudyKelly on Aug 5, 2009 1:00 PM PDT

Doughty_medium

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2008 - Drew Doughty	81	6	21	27	-17	56	3	0	1	0	126	4.8

Most Frequent Linemate: Sean O'Donnell (even strength & penalty kill), Peter Harrold (power play)

Favorite Moment:

Note: I'm going to do my best to be completely objective in regards to Doughty and not fawn all over him like I'm apt to do. It's going to be hard but I think I can do it.

The Future: I imagine Doughty will start the season with Sean O'Donnell next season, since they know each other and have proven chemistry with one another. That doesn't mean they'll play similar minutes, however; Doughty will probably play around 10 minutes of even strength with O'Donnell and then another 6 or 7 with various other defenseman. That's what #1 defensemen do. I think we'll see a little more offense out of Doughty next year, since every one of his goals was him having to create it himself. I get the feeling no one on the Kings knew how to play off Doughty since what seemed obvious to him hadn't revealed itself to the rest of the team yet. Hopefully guys will be able to predict what Doughty is about to do a little better and play off that. I don't think 40+ points is out of the question. There are a few things Doughty needs to get better at: improving on the power play (and that should help because he won't have Peter Harrold next to him), getting stronger, and jumping into the play a bit more. Overall, though, I predict greatness for young Doughty. And I will, at some point, write a sonnet about him.

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Comments

That goal was a great goal in a… not so great game.

Doughty is the greatest thing since ~~Gauthier~~ ~~Blake~~ ~~Cloutier~~ sliced bread. He didn’t play like a rookie at all last season. Doesn’t get the credit he probably deserves because he’s a defenseman, and he plays for LA. If he played for Pittsburgh or NY Rangers, he’d certainly be the next Ray Bourque… actually, haven’t there been some comparisons comparing him to Bourque? I don’t remember (something like that’s ringing in my head), but he’s a great talent and should have a great sophomore season if he improves his PP and adds some muscle.

Fuck you, Denis Gauthier. You suck at hockey... and life.

by Kevin Y on Aug 5, 2009 1:19 PM PDT reply actions

actually, haven’t there been some comparisons comparing him to Bourque?

Good recollection, KY. Actually, the comparison between the two comes from our team’s Fearless Leader and can be found here

2009-10 LA Kings Hockey: Where Smyt Happens!!

by DodgerBlueBalls on Aug 5, 2009 6:35 PM PDT reply actions

Ah, thanks. Of course, DL isn’t exactly unbiased. I’d be more inclinced to believe the comparisons if it were from a paid analyst, but most people seem to believe that he can be like Bourque, at least defensively and athletically.

Only significant difference is that Bourque was a scorer, also. He averaged 18.6 goals per season for 22 seasons. If you look at his stats, you can see how consistent his numbers were. And I always judge defensemen based on +/-, while not entirely, that’s still a huge part for me. Over his career, he was +528. Excluding PPGs, his teams were +1113 when he was on the ice. His highest +/- in a season was the +52 he had in his rookie season, back in 1979-80.

In other words, the Bruins scored a lot more goals than they gave up when he was on the ice. Doughty still has a lot of work before he can claim something like that, but I’m sure that a lot last year had to do with the team’s overall defensive… ability? Can’t think of the word, but whatever.

Doughty is very Bourque-like, even if the numbers aren’t there, because of his athleticism. We haven’t had a great defenseman since… if you exclude Blake, whoever they had in the purple/gold days.

Fuck you, Denis Gauthier. You suck at hockey... and life.

by Kevin Y on Aug 5, 2009 7:08 PM PDT up reply actions

I second the great goal in the not so great game contest. I was there. It was one of those games were LaBarbera forgot his job was to stop the puck.

But on the subject of Doughty, the kid has a real high ceiling. I’m not so sure about the Ray Bourque comparisons, but dare I say it, I think Doughty may develop into the Scott Niedermayer type. Good first pass, good vision, good wheels. The ability to take the puck from end to end and also to score a few when need be.

by klink3115 on Aug 5, 2009 7:32 PM PDT reply actions

I second the great goal in the not so great game contest. I was there. It was one of those games were LaBarbera forgot his job was to stop the puck.

The sad thing is that he probably didn’t forget that was his job. It’s basically like me going to my place, clocking in, then chilling up in the break room for eight hours. Truth is, you really don’t care so long as you collect a pay check. Whether you give up 8 goals in the second period or record a 50-save shutout, you still get the same amount of cash.

Fuck you, Denis Gauthier. You suck at hockey... and life.

by Kevin Y on Aug 5, 2009 7:49 PM PDT up reply actions

I think Doughty may develop into the Scott Niedermayer type.

That’s where I see him ending up too.

The West Coast is the Best Coast.

by RudyKelly on Aug 5, 2009 10:24 PM PDT up reply actions

That’s probably safe to say. Bourque is a player many people consider one of the best defensemen of the last 25 years, if not all-time. Him and Scott Stevens are probably the only two that can really be in that discussion.

Scotty’s a bad player to be compared to. If Doughty becomes a Niedermayer-like player, I won’t be too disappointed.

Fuck you, Denis Gauthier. You suck at hockey... and life.

by Kevin Y on Aug 5, 2009 11:14 PM PDT up reply actions

Did you just say Bourque and Stevens are the only two to be in the best defenseman of the last 25 years discussion?

I know someone with a shelf full of Norris Trophies who would really like to speak with you.

http://sacrificethebody.blogspot.com/
Sacrifice the Body - Examining the NHL through statistical analysis, reasoned thought, and blind conjecture.

by IAmJoe on Aug 6, 2009 2:30 AM PDT up reply actions

Yeah, Stevens? Me thinks not…

by Nut on Aug 6, 2009 8:02 AM PDT up reply actions

Nobody’s in a mood to talk about Swedes here, Joe.

2009-10 LA Kings Hockey: Where Smyt Happens!!

by DodgerBlueBalls on Aug 6, 2009 9:15 AM PDT up reply actions

Okay, kinda forgot about Lidstrom there. But I don’t know, he doesn’t stand out to me as much as the other guys for some reason. I have nothing against Swedes. I don’t know a lot about Stevens’ early career, but c’mon, who can forget about how he dropped Kariya in the ‘03 Finals? He wasn’t well-respected because of how physical he was, but as somebody who grew up watching Rob Blake’s hip checks, he’s a player that I’ve admired since I started following the game.

Just found out that Stevens never won a Norris Trophy, so maybe he really wasn’t as good as I thought he was. Maybe my judgment is blocked my clips of dumping Kariya in ’03 running through my head.

Fuck you, Denis Gauthier. You suck at hockey... and life.

by Kevin Y on Aug 6, 2009 9:35 AM PDT up reply actions

Still, a Conn Smythe for a defenseman is nothing to sneeze at — Stevens was a beast.

http://www.battleofcali.com/

by Earl Sleek on Aug 6, 2009 9:43 AM PDT up reply actions

Scott Stevens is the Jim Rice of hockey players.

The West Coast is the Best Coast.

by RudyKelly on Aug 6, 2009 11:19 AM PDT up reply actions

So he's overrated by the media

and a small subset of fans?

[DELETED ZOMG NO POLITICS]

by bluemax on Aug 6, 2009 12:02 PM PDT up reply actions

Well I’ve never heard of Jim Rice until this season. Granted, he was before my time, but I think that’s a fair assessment.

How about Al MacInnis? Conn Smyth in 1989, Norris Trophy ten years later in 1999, and the hardest slapshot of all-time (until Chara). He was the most feared offensive defenseman because his shot was 103 MPH, and he wasn’t afraid to shoot it.

NHL Network just showed the Stars/Blues 1999 Conference Semifinals “Classic Series”, the season which MacInnis won the Norris. He was a great player, but I know of him more as an offensive-defenseman, not really defensively.

Hard to believe he was drafted 15th overall in 1981. Guess who the Kings took 2nd overall? Doug Smith. Imagine if we had gotten him.

Fuck you, Denis Gauthier. You suck at hockey... and life.

by Kevin Y on Aug 6, 2009 1:11 PM PDT up reply actions

Still, you can’t be one of the best defensmen in the league if your only good on half the ice surface. And Blake was a better checker.

by Nut on Aug 6, 2009 12:26 PM PDT up reply actions

Sure you could, theoretically — goal differential is goal differential. Whether it’s achieved through shutdown methods or scoring prowess, it’s still equally valuable.

http://www.battleofcali.com/

by Earl Sleek on Aug 6, 2009 1:25 PM PDT up reply actions

I’m a defenseman, so I’m a bit partial to defensive prowess in a player, but its hard to argue that Stevens was better than Lidstrom or Pronger when they were as good defensively but also put up a lot of points. Same argument against Mike Green on the other end of the spectrum.

by Nut on Aug 6, 2009 2:02 PM PDT up reply actions

Yeah, I wasn’t making that argument. But Stevens could flat-out take opposing stars off the scoresheet, and sometimes off the ice. I don’t have any problem putting him with his era’s great d-men, fuck whatever offense he generated.

http://www.battleofcali.com/

by Earl Sleek on Aug 6, 2009 2:07 PM PDT up reply actions

Yeah fuck it because it didn’t exist (in the second half of his career). If you’re going off of +/- only Lidstrom has him beat 409 to 393. I agree he was one of the best, but I’d put Lidstrom, MacInnis, Zubov, and maybe Leetch ahead. Just sayin’.

by Nut on Aug 6, 2009 3:34 PM PDT up reply actions

For the record, I haven’t been ranking Stevens above anybody. I’ve just been reacting to the notion in this statement:

Still, you can’t be one of the best defensmen in the league if you’re only good on half the ice surface.

I’d take Lidstrom over anybody personally, but I wouldn’t have any trouble ignoring offense if somebody were kicking ass in their own zone. I wouldn’t have an issue if the Norris Trophy went to a pure puck stopper, if he was good enough.

http://www.battleofcali.com/

by Earl Sleek on Aug 6, 2009 3:57 PM PDT up reply actions

I personally think Stevens’ defensive prowess was overstated but then again he didn’t make my best player lose his sense of smell so who knows.

The West Coast is the Best Coast.

by RudyKelly on Aug 6, 2009 4:08 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs

I wouldn’t have an issue if the Norris Trophy went to a pure puck stopper, if he was good enough.

You mean the Rod Langway Award?

The West Coast is the Best Coast.

by RudyKelly on Aug 6, 2009 4:14 PM PDT up reply actions

I can’t speak for his whole career, but I will say that in circa 2000, there weren’t many defensemen I’d dread facing more than Scott Stevens. I think that was the year that Pavel Bure led the league in goal-scoring by a wide margin but then was rendered invisible in a four-game series against the trio of Stevens-Rafalski and Brodeur.

http://www.battleofcali.com/

by Earl Sleek on Aug 6, 2009 4:53 PM PDT up reply actions

I think that what some people forget about Scott Stevens is that he actually did put up the points early in his career. Over the first years of his career he averaged over fifty points a season and ended with over 150 goals and 750 assists I believe. Lidstrom only has about 100 points more and is not quite the physical beast he was.

by klink3115 on Aug 6, 2009 5:20 PM PDT up reply actions

Yeah I was kinda surprised to see the season he had in 93-94 (18-60-78). That was a Norris caliber season numbers wise (then again, everybody scored a shit load in those days). But on the defensive side the rest of his career his plus/minus stats are padded by playing in front of Broduer and under Jacques Lemaire at the height of the Neutral Zone Trap.

by Nut on Aug 6, 2009 5:41 PM PDT up reply actions

Well, arguably Lidstrom’s stats are similarly padded by playing with the winningest team of his era — I won’t give either guy a huge leg-up on that angle, both played with fabulous teams.

But you are right in the “everyone put up points” angle — it was probably a different Stevens, but it was definitely a different era also.

http://www.battleofcali.com/

by Earl Sleek on Aug 6, 2009 10:06 PM PDT up reply actions

I think Doughty may develop into the Scott Niedermayer type.

I look forward to his multiple months of semi-retirement.

http://www.battleofcali.com/

by Earl Sleek on Aug 6, 2009 12:45 AM PDT up reply actions

And for that goatee to turn gray.

Nobody cares about your opinion.

by brokenyard on Aug 6, 2009 5:12 AM PDT up reply actions

And of course for the less-talented emergence of checking forward Rob Doughty.

http://www.battleofcali.com/

by Earl Sleek on Aug 6, 2009 8:04 AM PDT up reply actions

checking forward Rob Doughty

Oh yeah! Rob Doughty got a mean look about him that just screams third line Grinder.

2009-10 LA Kings Hockey: Where Smyt Happens!!

by DodgerBlueBalls on Aug 6, 2009 9:18 AM PDT up reply actions

Are girls more obsessed with hockey than we think?

I type in Google “Drew Doughty” and one of the top recommendations is “drew doughty girlfriend”. Same thing happens with Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry (I’ll be honest, it surprised me), Sidney Crosby, Brian Campbell, any young guy I can think of. Are girls googling hockey players to see if they’re taken? hahaha

Nobody cares about your opinion.

by brokenyard on Aug 6, 2009 4:03 PM PDT reply actions