The Los Angeles Kings have made a series of roster moves during this offseason break. The most significant so far was getting rid of Pierre-Luc Dubois in a trade for Darcy Kuemper from the Washington Capitals. A growing concern from fans was goaltending depth and reliability for this season. While Cam Talbot offered experience and skill during last season as a 2024 NHL All-Star, he still showed problems with his age of being 37 years old. Due to the team acquiring Kuemper, the Kings ditched Talbot for a set goalie core of David Rittich and Pheonix Copley.
Talbot landed a two-year deal with the Detroit Red Wings on July 1. He had a good season for the Kings last season, though. Despite being 27-20-3 during the regular season, he still posted a solid 2.50 goals-against average (GAA) and a .913 save percentage (SV%). However, his playoff performance during last season dwarfed that for the Kings, as he played in three games and won only one game with a 5.30 GAA and .861 SV%. Because of this, the Kings let him go to Detroit, and replaced him with Kuemper. But the team did wrong by starting him for 54 regular season games.
Kings’ Goalie Core
As of late, the Kings’ goalie core consists of Kuemper, Rittich and Copley on their active roster. On July 1, the team announced they re-signed Rittich to a one-year, $1 million contract, and Copley to a one-year extension worth $825,000. Let’s take a look at the three in the goalie core.
Age Is A Concern
It goes without saying that the three goalies on the current roster are above 30 years of age. Now age may be a number, but reliability and efficiency are key to a successful team. That’s why the Kings have three goalies. The presumed starter, Kuemper, is 34 years old; Rittich, the presumed backup, is 32, and Copley is the same age as Rittich.
Kuemper Is Experienced
Despite him being the oldest, Kuemper is the most experienced out of the two others. He has been in the NHL for 13 seasons. He’s a Stanley Cup champion who provides value as an experienced, elite and skilled goaltender for the Kings. The team can most certainly depend on him as their star goaltender this season if he can stay healthy.
Kuemper first appeared in the NHL during the 2012-13 season for the Minnesota Wild, where he played in six games with a 2.09 GAA and a .916 SV%. During the 2021-22 NHL season, when he was part of the Stanley Cup-winning team, the Colorado Avalanche, he participated in 57 games. His statistics for that season include a 2.54 GAA and a .921 SV%. For his latest season with the Capitals, the 6-foot-5 netminder appeared in only 33 games, as he posted one of his career-worst performances. He averaged a 3.31 GAA and a .890 SV%. Compared to the 2022-23 season, his first in a Capitals sweater, he put up a 2.87 GAA and .909 SV% from 57 games. He did not participate in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs for the Capitals.
With his time in the NHL being so long, Kuemper has seen quite a few teams in his career. Back in the 2017-18 season, he was the Kings’ goaltender, where he participated in 19 games before getting traded to the Arizona Coyotes. As a part of the Kings, he was 10-1-3 with a 2.10 GAA and .932 SV%. After six seasons, he’s now back in a black, grey and white sweater.
Rittich Is an Adequate Backup
Rittich assumed a bigger role for the Kings during last season when Copley went on long-term injured reserve (LTIR). After assuming the full-time spot as Talbot’s backup, Rittich showed off his skills as an effective and reliable netminder for the remainder of the season. He started the season with the Ontario Reign by playing 16 games and winning seven, and put up a 2.63 GAA and .901 SV% before his permanent call-up. During last season, he played 24 games (13-6-3) with a 2.15 GAA and .921 SV% for the Kings. The Czech native has been present in North American professional hockey since the 2016-17 season. His inaugural season was with the Calgary Flames where he played just one game.
Rittich possesses considerable experience and solid statistics, which will undoubtedly bolster his team’s performance in the upcoming season. As a goaltending duo, Kuemper and Rittich will collaborate effectively to ensure optimal efficiency throughout the season, regardless of their age.
The 32-year-old has accumulated eight seasons of experience in the NHL, participating in a total of 196 games (92-57-24-7) and posting a 2.78 GAA and .906 SV%. He has only played in four Stanley Cup playoff games, though, with his most recent two games being for the Kings last season where he experienced two losses, resulting in a performance record of 2.56 GAA and a .872 SV%.
The Tandem Must Be Efficient
In order to avoid a repeat of the situation with Talbot, I believe an even distribution of starts between the two goaltenders, resulting in about 41 starts each, will ensure the two have peak performances during the season. This will be efficient for the team and the two netminders. The tandem of Kuemper and Rittich stands as a solid duo for this season. Although the Kings could have picked a younger goalie, they most definitely have two netminders with experience, who demonstrate NHL-worthy skill sets for the goaltending position.
Copley’s Position For This Season
Due to the salary differential between Kuemper and Rittich, Copley is the odd man out of the duo for the time being. His extension with the team comes after he tore his ACL on Dec. 15 of last season, missing the remainder of it to recover. But in the 2022-23 season with the Kings, he put up a 2.64 GAA and a .903 SV% with 24 wins from 37 starts. He struggled in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Edmonton Oilers, however, as he posted eight saves with a 4.26 GAA and a .750 SV% from 28 minutes played in one game – his first playoff game in the NHL. For his eight games played last season, the 6-foot-4 goaltender won four starts, putting up a 3.16 GAA and .870 SV%.
Copley can be called up this season whenever he’s needed. With Kuemper being prone to injuries from last season with the Capitals, it’s most certainly possible to occur again during the upcoming season — or vice versa for Rittich. Having three goalies on a roster isn’t a new concept. Teams do it all the time for continuity and reliability. The Tampa Bay Lightning, Seattle Kraken, Toronto Maple Leafs, and others did it last season.
Acclimating Back To Goaltending After Recovery
Although it is feasible for Copley to secure the full-time position alongside Kuemper, he will probably play in the initial quarter of the regular season for the Ontario Reign in the American Hockey League (AHL). Considering his recuperation period from his past injury, it is beneficial for him and the Kings’ organization for him to start with Ontario to facilitate his reintegration into the NHL. Copley has accumulated substantial experience within the AHL since the 2014-15 season, having previously played for the Hershey Bears. He spent six seasons with Hershey, until the 2021-22 season. In the 2022-23 season, he signed with the Kings, and played 11 games for Ontario, with a 2.48 GAA and .913 SV%. The Reign are not an unfamiliar team for him. If Erik Portillo re-signs with the Kings for this season, he will be Copley’s backup in the AHL.
A comparable strategy of playing in the minor leagues after recovering from a significant injury is exemplified by former Kraken goaltender Chris Driedger; he sustained an ACL tear during the 2022 IIHF Men’s World Championship. After he recovered, he played for the Coachella Valley Firebirds in the AHL, and returned to playing for the Kraken during last season.
Can the Kings Rely On This Core?
It takes a lot for goaltenders to give it their best every game for an 82-game season. But judging by the current roster of defenders and goalies, it’s safe to say that if the Kings manage it right, it will work out in their favor. With Kuemper being a Stanley Cup champion and an experienced veteran, the team can depend on him to offer value and depth between the pipes. But as stated before, they can not repeat the same situation with Talbot. To have longevity and consistency for their star goaltender, they have to give him fewer starts. This system will be efficient, compared to the 54 starts for Talbot, which was outrageously too high for a now 37-year-old, as Kuemper is only three years younger than him.
I believe Rittich possesses the requisite statistics, experience, and reflexes to serve as a reliable backup goaltender to Kuemper. His playoff performance last season was satisfactory, and it is unlikely that he will not make the necessary improvements to his game. The tandem of Kuemper and Rittich has the potential to be highly effective for the Kings. With the recent additions of experienced and younger defenders to the defensive core, this tandem can be sustainable if both units collaborate effectively. Age does play a factor in generating sustainability, but as I said before, it may be just a number.
Now, if it doesn’t work out with Rittich or Kuemper, then they always have Copley. Copley, too, has experience that can mimic both primary goalies. However, with his recovery from the ACL injury, it will take time for him to adjust back to NHL hockey. Nevertheless, he is the third man on the depth chart and can be called up at any time during the 2024-25 campaign.
There’s Always an Alternative
Now, there is another goaltender to be brought into the picture: Erik Portillo. In my latest article, I discussed Portillo’s future within the Kings’ organization as he’s a restricted free agent after concluding his two-year entry-level contract. If he gets re-signed, he’ll spend the majority of the season with Ontario. However, if the core of three 30-year-old goalies doesn’t exactly work, the Kings can make the call to expose Portillo to his first-ever NHL appearance. Portillo participated in 39 games for Ontario last season, recording a 24-11-3 record with a 2.50 GAA and .918 SV%. He experienced all-time highs in the AHL, and if he stays in the Kings’ organization, he should and will likely see some NHL appearances this season.
The Kings have choices in their goalies for this season. Who will make the final cut in the primary duo will be determined before the start of the regular season on Oct. 10. As training camp and the preseason commence, it presents an opportune moment for the mentioned goaltenders to showcase their capabilities and demonstrate their value to the Kings’ organization. While injuries can occur during the season, as exemplified by Copley’s situation, the Kings have established continuity by maintaining three primary netminders within their core.
