The veteran Los Angeles Kings defenseman was coming back from a broken ankle, but the chance to represent Canada and play in big-time games was too important to pass up.

MONTREAL - While some high-profile NHLers had to call off their involvement in the 4 Nations Face-Off due to injuries, there was one player who fought like hell to come back from being hurt so that he could take part: Los Angeles Kings legend Drew Doughty.

The veteran defenseman had broken his ankle during the pre-season and only returned to the Kings lineup recently, but it was enough to prove that he was good to go for Team Canada. The Canadians, of course, needed to replace the banged-up Alex Pietrangelo - and they were more than happy to make the call to Doughty.

"We knew from the onset from when Drew got hurt that he would do everything possible to get back to play for L.A. but also to play in this tournament," said Team Canada GM Don Sweeney. "The road wasn't very long for him in returning to play and in how many games he could play. What we did was make sure we watched every inch of ice Drew took once he came back and realize where he was at."

Luckily, one of those games was against Tampa Bay. Lightning coach Jon Cooper is also Canada's bench boss for the 4 Nations, so he saw Doughty's readiness - and the defenseman's determination, as originally Doughty wasn't even supposed to play in the game since it was part of a back-to-back. The Kings lost that game 3-0, but Doughty played 27:43. In the six games he played before the 4 Nations break, he has averaged about 27 minutes of ice time per contest.

So why was it so important for the two-time Stanley Cup champion and Olympic gold medallist to play in the 4 Nations? He believes he has something to prove.

"I haven't accomplished a lot in, I don't know how many years," Doughty said. "I haven't won a playoff round since we won the Cup, which is not something that I'm about. I'm a competitor, I want to be playing in big games and Stanley Cup finals. It's good for me to be here to resurrect my career a little bit. I think a lot of people have written me off, but I'm going to show them they're wrong."

Canada had a number of top-end options in replacing Pietrangelo, and Doughty is well aware that some fans had other names in mind.

"I see things about me making the team," he said. "I may not be the same player I was in, say, 2016, but I've still got it. My role on this team will obviously be more defensive, which is what I strive in back in L.A. Yeah, I put up points in L.A., but not like these top guys here. So this is a perfect situation."

The upshot of having Doughty on Team Canada is that he's seen it all in his career and has often been a difference-maker in pressure situations. He also learned early on that players get picked for these teams for a reason. Back in 2010, he was the kid on Canada's Olympic team, and that's when he learned a valuable lesson.

"I remember after the first couple games, (Canada GM) Steve Yzerman came up to me in the room and said 'Hey, I chose you for this team because of the player you are,' because I was just passing the puck to veterans and keeping it simple," Doughty said. "He told me to step up and play the way I play."

It's worked for Doughty on many a big occasion, and the 4 Nations is the latest big stage for him to play on. He said making this Canadian team was probably the first time he has been nervous since those 2010 Olympics, but he certainly put in the work to earn it.

"I worked hard," Doughty said. "It sucked, I'm not gonna lie. Coming back from injury is brutal. You do the same thing every day, you work your butt off every day and bag-skate. I just kept a straight mindset, and I had it in the back of my mind that I wasn't going to be on the team, but I also just wanted to get back playing hockey for the Kings. We need to win some series this year, so I was determined to get back."

Ultimately, Doughty got the call from Cooper last Saturday, saying he would be Pietrangelo's replacement. But 'Coop' kept Doughty hanging for a little bit.

"He talked to me for like five minutes and didn't say I made the team," Doughty said. "So I was actually thinking I didn't make it."

Finally, the coach gave him the good news. Doughty had already been trying to nap when he got the call, and the good word from Cooper made it easier to get his mid-day rest.

"I finally napped," he said. "I had been struggling to nap because I knew about (the chance) of making the team for a week. So that was in the back of my head, but after that call I shut 'er down hard."

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