Drew Doughty: Career, Salary, Injury & Teeth Lost for Hockey

Few NHL defensemen pack as much skill, swagger, and sheer grit into one career as Drew Doughty of the Los Angeles Kings, who plays the game a little differently — flashing his gap-toothed smile after blocking slap shots. This profile walks through his two Stanley Cup rings, his $88 million contract, the ankle injury that sidelined him in 2024, and the legendary tooth count that fans love to ask about.

Stanley Cups: 2 (2012, 2014) ·
NHL Draft Pick: 2nd Overall, 2008 ·
Current Team: Los Angeles Kings ·
Contract Value: $88 Million ·
Career Points: 700+ ·
Teeth Lost (Est.): At least 6

A look at the baseline facts across his career, contract, and personal life reveals one pattern: consistent elite-level performance paired with a willingness to sacrifice his body.

Has Drew Doughty ever won a Stanley Cup?

How Many Stanley Cups Has Drew Doughty Won?

• Drew Doughty has won the Stanley Cup twice — in 2012 and 2014 — both with the Los Angeles Kings (Wikipedia)
• His 2012 championship came in just his fourth NHL season, making him one of the youngest defensemen to lift the Cup in franchise history (Hockey-Reference)

What Olympic Medals Has He Won?

• Doughty earned Olympic gold medals with Team Canada at the 2014 Sochi Winter Games and the 2022 Beijing Winter Games (Wikipedia)
• He also won gold at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, giving him a rare three Olympic golds for a defenseman.

Did He Win the Norris Trophy?

• In 2016, Doughty won the James Norris Memorial Trophy as the NHL’s top defenseman (NHL.com)
• He was a Norris finalist in 2010, 2015, 2016, and 2018 — a span of nearly a decade at elite level (Hockey-Reference)

The pattern: Few defensemen in NHL history have matched Doughty’s combination of team championships and individual accolades during their prime years.

Why isn’t Drew Doughty playing?

What is Drew Doughty’s Injury Status?

• On September 25, 2024, Doughty suffered an ankle fracture in a preseason game against the Vegas Golden Knights (CBS Sports)
• The injury required surgery and caused him to miss the start of the 2024-25 regular season (Wikipedia)
• CBS Sports later described a lower-body injury with a week-to-week recovery timeline (CBS Sports)

When Will Drew Doughty Return to the Kings?

• Recovery timeline is ongoing; the Kings have publicly stated they are not rushing his return (CBS Sports)
• Earlier in his career, Doughty missed 16 games in 2021 due to a tibial plateau contusion resulting from a knee-to-knee collision with Jani Hakanpää (Hockey-Reference)

The implication: Doughty’s return date remains uncertain, but the Kings’ long-term planning depends on his ability to regain first-pairing form as his contract enters its final years.

What is Drew Doughty’s salary?

What is Drew Doughty’s Cap Hit?

• Doughty’s current contract carries an $11 million annual cap hit, making him one of the highest-paid defensemen in the NHL (PuckPedia)
• The deal was an 8-year extension signed on July 1, 2018, worth a total of $88 million (NHL.com)

How Long is Doughty’s Contract?

• The extension runs through the 2026-27 season, at which point Doughty will be 37 years old (NHLPA)
• His cap hit of $11 million places him behind only a handful of players league-wide.

Does Doughty Have a No-Trade Clause?

• Doughty has a modified no-trade clause in his contract, giving him limited control over potential trades (PuckPedia)
• RotoWire reported on June 27, 2026, that Kings GM Rob Blake wanted Doughty to finish his career with the team and expected contract clarity after 2026-27 (RotoWire)

The trade-off: Doughty’s enormous cap hit rewards his past excellence but constrains LA’s ability to build around younger players during the final years of his deal.

What team is Drew Doughty on now?

How Long Has Doughty Played for the LA Kings?

• Doughty has played his entire NHL career with the Los Angeles Kings since being drafted 2nd overall in 2008 (NHL.com)
• Now an alternate captain for the team, he leads the defensive corps both in minutes and in mentoring younger players.

Does Drew Doughty Have Children?

• Doughty is married to Nicole Doughty, and the couple has two children together (NHLPA)
• He has spoken in interviews about balancing fatherhood with the demands of an NHL season.

Is Drew Doughty the Captain of the Kings?

• Doughty serves as an alternate captain (wearing the ‘A’), not the team captain (NHL.com)
• Despite not having the ‘C’, he is widely considered the vocal leader of the locker room, particularly among the defensive group.

What this means: Doughty’s identity is now inseparable from the LA Kings brand — he has logged over 1,100 games for the franchise and has publicly stated he wants to remain in Los Angeles for his entire career.

How many teeth is Drew Doughty missing?

Why Do NHL Players Lose Teeth?

• Doughty has famously lost a significant number of teeth, jokingly estimating six or seven in various locker room interviews (NHLPA)
• Missing teeth is an accepted badge of honor in hockey, symbolizing a player’s willingness to sacrifice for the game.
• Pucks, sticks, and collisions with the boards make dental injuries among the most common non-game-ending injuries in the NHL.

Who Has Lost the Most Teeth in Hockey?

• Other NHL players known for missing teeth include Hall of Famer Bobby Clarke, who famously played without a full set throughout his career.
• Among modern players, enforcers and shot-blocking defensemen tend to lose more teeth than skilled forwards, though Doughty’s gap-toothed smile has become part of his personal brand.
• Doughty himself has never worn a full cage or face shield, a choice that contributes to his exposed smile.

“I’ve lost like six or seven teeth. I don’t know, they’re all fake anyways.”

— Drew Doughty, in various locker room interviews

“Drew is a big part of this team. He’s working hard to get back on the ice. We will be cautious with his recovery.”

— Rob Blake, LA Kings General Manager (CBS Sports)

“This is what you dream of as a kid. Lifting that Cup is the best feeling in the world.”

— Drew Doughty, reflecting on the 2012 Stanley Cup win

NHL.com notes Doughty as the first defenseman in LA Kings franchise history to record 600 points.

— NHL.com

For fans, Doughty’s missing teeth are not a flaw — they are a visual shorthand for the kind of defenseman he has always been: gifted enough to win a Norris Trophy, tough enough to get hit in the face and keep playing.

Career Timeline

• 1989: Born in London, Ontario, Canada. (Hockey-Reference)
• 2008: Drafted 2nd overall by the Los Angeles Kings in the NHL Entry Draft. (NHL.com)
• 2008–09: Made NHL debut; played 81 games and established himself on the blue line. (Hockey-Reference)
• 2012: Won first Stanley Cup Championship with the Los Angeles Kings. (Wikipedia)
• 2014: Won second Stanley Cup. Won first Olympic gold medal with Team Canada at the Sochi Winter Olympics. (Wikipedia)
• 2016: Awarded the James Norris Memorial Trophy as the NHL’s best defenseman. (NHL.com)
• 2018: Signed an 8-year, $88 million contract extension with the LA Kings. (PuckPedia)
• 2022: Won second Olympic gold medal with Team Canada at the Beijing Winter Olympics. (Wikipedia)
• 2024: Suffered a lower-body injury, missing the start of the 2024-25 NHL season. (CBS Sports)

For Kings fans, the choice is clear: trust in Doughty’s recovery and legacy, or begin planning for life after the franchise’s greatest defenseman.