Many have written off Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty for making Team Canada's Olympic team. However, he fully expects to be named to the roster come the reveal on Dec. 31.
There isn't much longer until rosters are announced for the 2026 Olympics, Canada's is set to be revealed on Dec. 31.
Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty has no doubt in his mind that he deserves to be called to represent the Maple Leaf in Milan at the Winter Games.
“In my heart and mind, I expect to be there," Doughty told reporters earlier in the month.
At this point in the season, Doughty seems to be a bubble player for Canada's roster. That's in part with his age as a 36-year-old, and others making a case to make the roster, such as New York Islanders rookie D-man Matthew Schaefer.
With that, several media sources, including The Hockey News, have left Doughty off Team Canada's projected roster.
“When people are excluding me from that list, in my head I'm like, ‘I don't understand how at all they could be doing that,” Doughty said. “I mean, I am old, but man, I'm still playing at a high level."
The veteran defenseman is confident in his own abilities and knows that he'd be a great piece for Canada at the Olympics.
“I’m still playing the most minutes on my team, playing in all our top situations," he said. "I know it's not the national team, but you need older guys who are veteran guys who can play in those moments, and I know how to do that. I've done it before. The pressure is not going to get to me. S--t doesn't faze me.
Drew Doughty (Winslow Townson-Imagn Images)Doughty played in every game at the 4 Nations Face-Off in February last year. He averaged 19:57 of ice time, the sixth-highest ice time average on the roster for the tournament. For the Kings, he's on his way to lead the team in ice time for the 18th straight year.
That's no surprise since Los Angeles head coach Jim Hiller throws the veteran out on the ice in almost every situation.
“I'm playing well, I don't have great offensive numbers or anything, but that's not why Team Canada's taking me," he said.
"They’re taking me to be on the PK and shut down and stuff like that. I've been doing a great job with that this year. I'm still a high-level player and skating much better than I was last season. I did decently for them at Four Nations, and I'm playing way better this year than I could last year.”
While some media and fans may not see Doughty as a candidate to make Team Canada's roster, the two-time Stanley Cup champion certainly has plenty of belief in himself to compete in his third Olympics.
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