Doughty first active Kings player to win gold
By Helene Elliott
March 1, 2010
The 20-year-old defenseman was among four Kings players and seven Ducks players to earn medals at the 2010 Vancouver Games.
Reporting from Vancouver, Canada – Their celebration had barely begun when someone handed members of the triumphant Canadian Olympic hockey team a huge flag as they stood on the ice at Canada Hockey Place.
What to do?
Make the kid carry it.
“Yeah, he needed to do something,” team captain Scott Niedermayer said, smiling.
So there was Kings defenseman Drew Doughty, in his second NHL season but an Olympic first-timer, taking an enforced but happy lap around the ice after Canada’s 3-2 overtime victory over the U.S. on Sunday.
“They were razzing me as the rookie, the youngest guy, and no one really wanted to skate around with it so they made me,” said Doughty, who’s 20. “It was all in fun. It was great.”
After his turn he handed the flag to Niedermayer, a rival as a member of the Ducks but his brother in sweaty arms on Sunday.
“Yeah, not too bad,” Doughty said. “He’s our leader.”
Doughty became the first active Kings player to win an Olympic gold medal. U.S. defenseman Jack Johnson, winger Dustin Brown and reserve goaltender Jonathan Quick each won silver medals.
