News Article: Drew Doughty Single Game Scouting Report (Jack Han)

[BringTheReign]

Howdy all,

I came across this article from Jack Han a while back, but forgot to share it here. I was reminded of it after Doughty's play in these first 3 games, and wanted to share. Han is a former hockey ops/assistant coach in the Toronto org turned author. He's an excellent writer, and I think many here might know him from his Byfield development plan article.

Anyways, this is an interesting and enlightening read (along with video). It won't be news to most of us, but it's cool to see the analysis through an impartial observer.

Is Drew Doughty Still Good?

Has elite tools and ability to take over a game, but seems to lack the motivation or inspiration to do hard things every shift in order to help his team control play. Contrast with players such as Mark Giordano and Shea Weber, who are older and less technically proficient, but more determined physically and mentally to perform = better overall impact on team shot rates for/against.

Click to read more...

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Yeah thank you for linking the important line because people on the main forum had been using it as a 'gotcha' clickbait without realizing Han was saying look, he can still be awesome if he pulls his head out of his ass. Still applies. All the tools are there. Makes it more frustrating.

 

[BringTheReign]

That part that gets me so much is the highlighting of him deferring to Hutton and passing up the best option during breakouts. That is exactly the Doughty we're missing. I remember during the '14 Final he was a one-man breakout machine against the Rangers, even with their speed up front. You said it, incredibly frustrating.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

That part that gets me so much is the highlighting of him deferring to Hutton and passing up the best option during breakouts. That is exactly the Doughty we're missing. I remember during the '14 Final he was a one-man breakout machine against the Rangers, even with their speed up front. You said, it incredibly frustrating.

Through the first three games this season, luckily, he's mostly gone hard into the corners. There was only one time I can think of when he didn't and I nearly threw my remote because of the last two years' PTSD watching him let his partner get murdered. But still, the results aren't consistently there.

Bring on Bjornfot, at least he loves that kid and doesn't want to see him hurt. Looks like he could give two shits about Olli

 

[kingsholygrail]

I'm not sure what people expected. Doughty never spoke well of a rebuild, but we re-signed him anyway knowing the team was going to be rebuilding. Should have let him walk, but Blake didn't want to get nothing for him. Now we're stuck with him.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

He won two Olympic medals, two Stanley Cup rings, a Norris Trophy, cashed out, and is now coasting his way through 2027.

You know his performance is bad when even Jim Fox is starting to call him out on his bullshit.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I'm not sure what people expected. Doughty never spoke well of a rebuild, but we re-signed him anyway knowing the team was going to be rebuilding. Should have let him walk, but Blake didn't want to get nothing for him. Now we're stuck with him.

I expected him to live up to his chip-on-the-shoulder offseason speech about wanting to make team canada and he's sick of people doubting him, and his fitness/speed looks like he tried to at least get that part right, but his play says otherwise

 

[kingsholygrail]

I expected him to live up to his chip-on-the-shoulder offseason speech about wanting to make team canada and he's sick of people doubting him, and his fitness/speed looks like he tried to at least get that part right, but his play says otherwise

He tries to say the right things, but Doughty wants to be in competition for something. He's not a mentor type. I guarantee if he got moved to a playoff bound team, his game would turn around. Right now, he has no reason to turn it around because he's not competing for anything.

 

[tbrown33]

His exorbitant ice time makes him worse too, probably even moreso late in the season.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

His exorbitant ice time makes him worse too, probably even moreso late in the season.

One of my biggest complaints re: the whole roster over the last couple of seasons.

It's like the organization is assigning icetime by cost/minute.

 

[Fat Elvis]

Let's be honest. DD8 hasn't been the best dman on the ice for a couple seasons now and not nearly as good as he says he is. Dude has skated more minutes than anyone without properly managing those minutes. Absolutely does not make sense for him to skate 25+ a night, every night. Zero reason for it last season either. His legs just aren't there.

 

[Jason Squirties]

I think it's the arrogance that's killing me for him. I think Jarret Stoll said in the pregame of the seasoner opener that Doughty told him "he was going to kill it this year" or something to that affect. At this stage dude, just shut your mouth and just do it. Someone needs to get in his head because he doesn't seem able to do it himself. You think he'd be humbled enough at this stage.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I think it's the arrogance that's killing me for him. I think Jarret Stoll said in the pregame of the seasoner opener that Doughty told him "he was going to kill it this year" or something to that affect. At this stage dude, just shut your mouth and just do it. Someone needs to get in his head because he doesn't seem able to do it himself. You think he'd be humbled enough at this stage.

Maybe by "it" he meant "the team"

 

[kilowatt]

Through the first three games this season, luckily, he's mostly gone hard into the corners. There was only one time I can think of when he didn't and I nearly threw my remote because of the last two years' PTSD watching him let his partner get murdered. But still, the results aren't consistently there.

Bring on Bjornfot, at least he loves that kid and doesn't want to see him hurt. Looks like he could give two shits about Olli

What's funny is Maatta, for 16 or so minutes a game on the third pair, wouldn't be that bad. That's probably more in his wheelhouse.

Bjornfot - Doughty
Anderson - Roy
Maatta - Walker

 

[Fat Elvis]

What's funny is Maatta, for 16 or so minutes a game on the third pair, wouldn't be that bad. That's probably more in his wheelhouse.

Bjornfot - Doughty
Anderson - Roy
Maatta - Walker

Been suggesting this for at least 2 games now.....

 

[BringTheReign]

Man, I went back and looked at the team's '17-'18 stats after all this Kopitar and Doughty talk.

Doughty had 60 points that year! 60!

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Man, I went back and looked at the teams '17-'18 stats after all this Kopitar and Doughty talk.

Doughty had 60 points that year! 60!

Arguably his best year and yet no one called Hedman 'due' despite practically identical seasons even though Doughty had much harder circumstances and one on a team with 300 goals, and one...the Kings.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Arguably his best year and yet no one called Hedman 'due' despite practically identical seasons even though Doughty had much harder circumstances and one on a team with 300 goals, and one...the Kings.

That's because we're not annoying assholes like our neighbors up north.

 

[BigKing]

It's mostly going through the motions until he feels the team can contend. He most likely feels that this best game--if it is still there--doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things because they still won't make the playoffs even if he performs like he did in 2018.

Problem is that he might not be able to flip a switch once he feels the organization is ready to win.

 

[KingsFan7824]

He's won, unlike Giordano and Weber, and fitness was always the issue Doughty had. He got by on talent forever, and now that he also doesn't care, it's a bad combo.

 

[The Butcher]

So yeah, all the tools are still sharp but he just doesn't give a shit.

I hope to eat these words but I'd say get him as far away from the kids as possible before the cancer spreads.

 

[Telos]

I think he was coasting the previous seasons, but now he isn't. I actually believe he is trying this year and is having trouble getting back into gear and everything he has heard this offseason has gone to his head. My honest take is that he's trying too hard and finding it hard to get back to where he was. Hopefully he gets out of the funk, but I think most of the problems right now are upstairs and maybe getting back into top condition.

 

[BringTheReign]

I've always wondered if Doughty ever watches film of his previous seasons. He seems like someone who wouldn't want to watch video of other players, but might actually learn from watching clips from when he was #elite.

 

[cyclones22]

It used to be you could partner Doughty with any pylon and he'd still kick ass and carry that partner on his back. That doesn't seem to be the case anymore. I'm willing to give Maatta a little more time to prove he's not completely terrible as he's just now learning the system. I think most believe that Mikey Anderson is at worst a second pairing defenseman and he already knows the system. Once Drew and Mikey got paired, both of their games elevated last night and I hope that partnership stays together until they prove they shouldn't be. I've always thought that of all the elite defensemen in the league, Doughty has been given the worst partners over the last 5 seasons by far. It's a welcome change to give him someone who can think the game on a modicum of his level and has real top 4 talent.

 

[kingsholygrail]

I distinctly remember frequently complaints about Doughty having to babysit anchors and clamoring for him to have a competent partner. Maybe he'll calm down and get back on track now.