Drew Doughty will not win the 2014 Norris Trophy, and he knows it. In fact, he may never win the official title as the NHL's best defenseman as long as he's a member of the Los Angeles Kings, and the Kings continue to employ a defense-first philosophy.
He’s not exactly thrilled to be so underappreciated by members of the NHL print media, but he’s fine with the inevitable snub. The Kings system might hurt his statistics, but it allows the 24-year-old defenseman the opportunity to do what he does best: win championships.
"I know if I want to ever win a Norris, I’m going to have to be top two or three in the league for defensemen in points,” Doughty told Bleacher Report recently during a reflective postgame moment. "Playing here in L.A., that’s just not our style of game. It’s just not going to happen."
Doughty—who given his propensity for standing out when the pressure is highest might be among the top few players in the world—may not even be a finalist for the Norris. Despite being one of the best players at the Sochi Games at any position and helping the Kings beco ...
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Article written by Steve Macfarlane
Kings’ Drew Doughty Is the Type of Defenseman Who Wins Titles, Not Awards
March 29th, 2014 by Steve Macfarlane Leave a reply »
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