INSIDER: Olympic Dream a Reality for Doughty & Kuemper

It started off as a regular morning for Drew Doughty and Darcy Kuemper. They were up, getting their kids ready for the day. And then, the phone rang.

Suddenly, a regular day became a very special day – Doughty and Kuemper were both selected to be Olympics, representing Team Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan.

“I think it’s phenomenal for both players and for different reasons, both later in their careers,” Jim Hiller said. “Both are just such great stories.”

For Doughty, it’s another chapter in one of the most decorated international careers in Canadian history.

Milan will mark his third Olympics, something that fewer than 10 Canadian players can say. The first two ended with gold medals in 2010 and 2014, with Doughty a driving force in both tournaments, 2014 in particular, where he was one of the best players in the entire competition. At age 36, he’s back for another go, potentially his final opportunity to play in the Olympics.

“Drew, with the pedigree that he’s had, being part of [the Olympics] as a young guy and being able to, all these years later, still be able to maintain the level and get named to that team, with his body of work, I’m sure, as part of the evaluation to get him to that point. It’s incredible to make that team at this stage of your career.”

Kuemper’s path has been different.

While Doughty has played in four best-on-best international tournaments, this is the first for Kuemper. At 35-years-old, it very well might be his only opportunity to do so, especially when you consider the 2018 and 2022 games were lost, during times in which Kuepmer likely would have merited consideration. In the midst of another excellent season in Los Angeles, Kuemper earned his place on the team here in 2026.

“I look at Darcy, who didn’t have some of the similar accolades, but has won a Stanley Cup, who came by way of trade a couple of years ago, so wasn’t probably at the top of his game, or thought of at his top of his game. What he’s done in the last couple of years to get himself, one into the conversation and two to ultimately make the team, you just love to see it.”

In the build up to today, Doughty admitted he had trouble sleeping. He understood that this was perhaps his final opportunity to represent Canada on a stage like this. When he got the call this morning from Team Canada General Manager Doug Armstrong, he said it was the “best phone call he’s had in a long time”

Once Armstrong told him he was on the team, what did he say?

“F’in Rights”

Maybe a couple more letters in there too.

While every opportunity like this is special, this one probably goes twice as far for Doughty.

When he made the team in 2010, he said he wasn’t thinking much about it at all, because he never expected to make the team, even though he clearly wanted to. 2014 he was a lock. After the NHL did not allow players to participate in 2018 or 2022, both seasons that Doughty would have been almost certain to participate in, he wondered if he’d get another shot at it.

Turns out he will.

Doughty said it took until today to know for sure that he’d get the chance. He got the call around 8:00 AM but didn’t know one way or the other until that time. Now that he’s got it locked in, it’s full-on excitement for him and his family.

“That’s the thing, I’m 36 now, next one I would be 40, who knows if I’m still playing hockey, so yeah, this kind of seemed like my last kick at the can,” Doughty said. “I can’t even explain you guys how happy I am, how happy my family is. This is the first one that my kids will be around for, so that’s super special.”

While Doughty lived the dream for the first time at the age of 20, Kuemper will now get his first opportunity 16 years later.

He grew up with those same dreams. When he was a kid, skating on a frozen pond or playing street hockey in the driveway, he always dreamt of playing in the Olympics, representing his country. It was always a dream for him. Kuemper twice played at the World Championships for Canada, winning gold in 2021. But the Olympics are just different. Today, Kuemper took the next step towards living that dream.

“Growing up playing on the outdoor pond or in the front road, playing street hockey, you’re always dreaming of playing for the Olympics,” Kuemper said. “I think every kid in Canada wants to put on that Maple Leaf in that kind of setting. It’s such an honor.”

Like Doughty, 2018 or 2022 could have potentially represented an opportunity for him to realize that dream. He was among the players who were submitted for contention in 2022 but with NHL players not being able to play, he never got the chance.

Now he will. And what a feeling that was for him.

“I remember going into the last Olympics, getting excited for it, there was talk that we were going back and then it didn’t happen,” he said. “It’s been a long time. I think as you’re playing, the longer it goes, the less you think about it and then all of a sudden, this chance comes up and you get really excited for it. Obviously, something that has been in the back of my mind, training the last couple of years and wanting to be a part of it. It’s just such an honor to be named to the team.”

Now, the preparation continues.

The Kings still have 19 games between now and the Olympic break, so it’s not like these guys are packing their bags for Milan tomorrow.

For Doughty, he said it’ll be a family affair. It’ll be the first time his kids have had the opportunity to experience the Olympics and that was something that meant a lot to him. He’s never been to Italy, so there’s some excitement there as well and he’ll be able to enjoy the moment with the people who are special in his life.

He knows that those upcoming 19 games are important for him for several reasons. They’re important for the Kings, so they’re important for Doughty. He has been a vocal proponent of getting the team back on track offensively and in the win column. As the Olympics go, those games are important as well for him. Today’s selection makes Doughty one of eight but he’s aiming to be one of six. From an international standpoint, that’s the next step.

“I’ve got a month to show I’ve got to be in the top six,” he said. “I’m getting my game back again from that injury, so I expect my game to be at a top level this whole month and going into the Olympics.”

For Kuemper, he’s one of three goaltenders vying for one net. If you were a betting man today, the best odds likely wouldn’t be on Kuemper to start Game 1 but there’s a lot of hockey between now and then to prove why it should be. Kuemper has the best numbers of the three netminders selected and the schedule for the Kings is hot and heavy over the next six weeks. He’ll have time to state his case and if his recent level of play, prior to his injury, is any indication, he’ll take a damn good run making the net his own.

“I didn’t miss that much time, and I felt really good about my game before I got hurt,” Kuemper said “Really looking forward to it and really wanted to be on the team, so I’m just really excited to be a part of it.”

Now that Doughty and Kuemper are international teammates as well as teammates with the Kings, that means they’ll be in communication even more as they approach the Olympics.

While the phone call that both players received this morning was incredible, it was a text message that showed what both men hope is to come. After hearing from Hockey Canada and taking the time to speak with their families and share the good news, Doughty sent Kuemper a text message. No words, just one emoji. What was it of?

“A gold medal.”