Rookie Drew Doughty makes Kings' roster

Quite a responsibility for an 18-year-old, but, then again, he isn't your typical teenager.

On Saturday night in San Jose, the rookie fresh from the Guelph Storm of the Ontario Hockey League will become the fourth-youngest player to start the season with the Kings and the second-youngest defenseman.

"I'm still living in a hotel right now," he said. "I didn't really want to look for a house before . . . to jinx anything."

Soon after the Kings drafted him second overall last June, expectations were high that would make the roster. Doughty lived up to those expectations during training camp, flashing skills in every facet of the game. He tried to shrug off the predictions, but in the back of his mind, he knew he had a good shot at making the opening-night roster.

"I just thought, especially with the team they have here, that they were looking for young guys," Doughty said.

He has been paired on the second defensive line with veteran Sean O'Donnell, who came to the Kings in a trade with the Ducks. O'Donnell, who will turn 37 on Monday, was in his second season with the Sudbury Wolves of the OHL when Doughty was born.

O'Donnell has been the ideal mentor, according to Doughty.

"He has already taught me more things in those few days than I've probably learned in my last couple years in juniors," Doughty said. "He shows me so much composure out there and is just solid all around, so it makes it really easy for me."

Looking around the league, four other 18-year-old defensemen made their teams' opening-day rosters: Zach Bogosian of the Atlanta Thrashers, Alex Pietrangelo of the Blues, Luke Schenn of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Luca Sbisa of the Philadelphia Flyers.

According to NHL.com, only nine 18-year-old defensemen made that jump in the previous 15 seasons.

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In another corner of the locker room, rookie forward Matt Moulson was pinching himself. After getting a taste of the NHL with the Kings last season, Moulson also won a roster spot, one of five rookies set to make his opening-night debut with the Kings.

"It still seems surreal that I'm starting the season here," he said. "Even though I played 22 games last year, it's an unbelievable feeling right now, so I'm going to ride the wave."

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