Doctor shares terrible news for Drew Doughty: he may be out for the year

The Los Angeles Kings were in action for the first time of the preseason last night in Las Vegas to face the Golden Knights. They ended up winning 3-2, thanks to strong performances from Quinton Byfield, Kevin Fiala, and Warren Foegele, who each tallied two points during the game.

The Kings may have returned to Los Angeles with the win, but also with a big loss.

Indeed, defenseman Drew Doughty had to leave the game after a dangerous fall near the boards and never returned on the ice.

Here's how it happened:

In a post on X, the Kings later confirmed that the defenseman is dealing with a lower-body injury:

Unfortunately, it doesn't end here.

On X, Dr. Harjas Grewal, who often shares his takes on injuries that occur in the NHL, stated that Doughty could be suffering from a broken ankle and/or a torn Achilles, which would force the player to miss several months.

Check out what he said:

If the Kings are forced to compete without Doughty for a big part of the season, the team could struggle a lot more than early projections stated. He is their best defenseman, and honestly, without him, the team's depth at the blue line takes a massive hit.

Management will hope to see Joel Edmundson, acquired this summer on free agency, as well as Brandt Clarke, the Kings' 8th overall pick in 2021, take on bigger responsibilities this season.

If they can't fill in for Doughty, the chances of seeing the team achieve their goals would be thin.

Updates on Doughty's health will follow.