Los Angeles gets a big boost as Drew Doughty returns against the Chicago Blackhawks Thursday

The timing could not be tougher for Chicago, because the Kings regain their heartbeat on the blue line after a long injury layoff.

Doughty, now 35 years old, logged 50 points last season and still drives play better than most defensemen his age.

He last played several weeks ago, and the Kings initially expected a much longer recovery window. Instead, he pushed ahead of schedule, ramping up solo skating and conditioning until doctors cleared him.

That early clearance changes the matchups Chicago will see in every meaningful situation.

Connor Bedard certainly won't have it as easy as expected tonight with Drew Doughty making his return.

Even without heavy minutes recently, Doughty averaged 25 minutes per game last season, and Los Angeles leans on him for top penalty kill duties.

Chicago's power play sits in the lower third of the league, and facing a rested Doughty will not ease that grind.

The Blackhawks must counter with pace, especially attacking the weak side to force Doughty into extended recoveries.

Connor Bedard continues driving most of Chicago's slot creation, and he will need every ounce of deception to break Doughty's reads. His anticipation remains elite, even after long layoffs, and he rarely loses body position once engaged.

If Chicago wants relief, it must pressure the second Kings pair and avoid letting Doughty dictate the tempo against the Blackhawks' top line of Connor Bedard, Ryan Greene, and Andre Burakovsky.

Chicago still carries the underdog energy that keeps games tight, and the next test now comes with a measuring stick wearing number eight for Los Angeles.