The 35-year-old defenseman missed the first 47 games of the season after breaking his left ankle in a preseason game against the Golden Knights on Sept. 25. He made his season debut on Jan. 29 and has one assist in six games while averaging 26:57 of ice time.
“Right away when I got injured this year, that was honestly my first thought," Doughty said. "Damn it, I can’t make the team and play in the tournament. And then I heard about Pietrangelo unfortunately going down, and right away I just tried to start getting back in the lineup and try to make that team. I think a lot of people had me written off, do have me written off, so I’m really proud to make this team. Anytime (I) put on that jersey means the world to me, so I’m ready to go.”
Now in his 17th season, Doughty has ranked in the top four of time on ice per game in nine of the past 10 NHL seasons, including leading the League in total ice time five times. He won the Stanley Cup with the Kings in 2012 and 2014 and the Norris Trophy in 2016 as the League's top defenseman.
Doughty has 670 points (156 goals, 514 assists) in 1,183 games, all with Los Angeles.
Internationally, he is a two-time Olympic gold medalist for Canada (2010, 2014), won gold at the 2008 IIHF World Junior Championship and the World Cup of Hockey in 2016, and silver in the 2009 World Championship.
“I’m going to go in there and whatever spot they put me in, I’m going to do my best to play in it," Doughty said. "If I’m seventh, I’m going to try to move up the lineup, just like I did before. I have no idea who I’ll be playing with or if I’m the seventh, I haven’t got any of that info, but I’m going to go there to play my best hockey. And I think if I do that, I have a good chance to be up in the lineup.”
Canada will open the 4 Nations Face-Off against Sweden on Feb. 12 at Bell Centre in Montreal.
