I felt that the team’s goaltending situation last fall was very straight forward. Darcy Kuemper was the unquestioned starter, coming off a Vezina Trophy nomination in 2024-25. Anton Forsberg was specifically signed to be the trusted, veteran number-two. Erik Portillo was ready to assume the starting role in the AHL, supported by veteran Pheonix Copley.
Then the 2025-26 season happened.
Forsberg had arguably the best season of his NHL career, started each game in the postseason and was arguably the top-performing Los Angeles player in the series versus Colorado. Kuemper had a very good start to the season but after he returned from an injury he sustained injury in December, his numbers were among the lowest in the NHL in several categories. Portillo had a good season, as Ontario won the Pacific Division in the AHL, but again missed time due to injury.
Now, as we write the same story 12 months later, the situation is quite different.
The Kings have Forsberg coming in with a different body of work and likely different expectations. Kuemper is back as well but instead of coming in trying to build off of one of the best seasons of his career, he’s trying to get back to that place after a disappointing campaign. Portillo has done enough to make you consider whether he’s ready to be tested as an NHL backup but the Kings have two veterans under contract and the time he’s missed along the way has not helped. Entering the mix this fall are Carter George and Hampton Slukynsky, two of the organization’s top-five prospects overall, who are ready to play in the AHL.
When you add in that Forsberg, Kuemper and Portillo are all in the final seasons of their respective contracts, the situation gets even more interesting. It’s gone from a position that was all but decided when camp opened last season to a position with lots of questions to be answered 12 months later.
For reference, here is how the goaltending situation comes into play entering training camp –
NHL Contracted Goaltenders, Pro: Anton Forsberg, Carter George, Darcy Kuemper, Erik Portillo, Hampton Slukynsky
NHL Contracted Goaltenders, Junior: None
AHL Contracted Goaltenders: Owen Flores, Mattias Sholl
Where They’re At
Perhaps no better success story last season for the Kings than Anton Forsberg. The overall approach taken last summer did not push the Kings forward as an organization but Forsberg was one addition who worked out.
His 2.54 goals-against average was the best in a single season in his NHL career and his .910 save percentage and 16 victories were both his second best totals. While the Kings struggled on the penalty kill and the goaltenders played a part in that, Forsberg was one of the best 5-on-5 netminders in the entire NHL. Forsberg’s .926 save percentage 5-on-5 was the second-best mark in the league, trailing only Colorado’s Scott Wedgewood. Forsberg was one of four goaltenders in the NHL with a GAA under 2.00 in 5-on-5 situations and he ranked seventh in the league with 15.76 goals saved above average, per Natural Stat Trick. He also led the league in high-danger GAA and ranked fourth in high-danger goals saved above expected at 9.11.
Good stuff. Now he’ll have to do the arguably harder task and that’s replicating it. If he can do so, there’s a larger workload in store than he saw last season.
For Kuemper, in his story last season, the narrative was very similar to what was just said above about Forsberg. He was coming off a stellar 2024-25 campaign and looked primed to replicate that. For the opening two months of the season, he did just that. From Opening Night on October 7 through his injury on December 15 in Dallas, Kuemper had a 10-6-6 record, a .917 save percentage, a 2.19 goals-against average. And 10.72 goals-saved above average. All in line with his Vezina-nominated 2024-25 season.
From the time he returned from injury, though, it was clear he wasn’t himself. Those numbers turned into the following – a 9-8-9 record, a .868 save percentage, a 3.30 goals-against average and a minus-15.87 goals-saved above average. Those numbers rated among the worst in the NHL at the position.
The finish to the season saw Kuemper lose the starting net to Forsberg down the stretch, with the Kings locking up a playoff berth behind strong goaltending. Forsberg started each of the four games in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, performing admirably. Which Darcy Kuemper will we see in the fall? He’s expressed motivation in a bounce back, both publicly and to Kings management and will need to deliver that on the ice.
Portillo’s numbers were good. He went 18-7-3 in the AHL with strong splits (.909 save percentage, 2.45 goals-against average). Health remains as a question mark for Portillo, as he missed around two months early in the season due to injury. When he was in net, though, he was solid at that level. In the right situation, Portillo is a guy you want to see tested as an NHL backup and he could get a chance to showcase what he can do this season.
For George and Slukynsky, both players are coming off of outstanding amateur careers. George was one of the OHL’s best goaltenders and the same goes for Slukynsky at the NCAA level. Both impressed in a small sample size at the AHL level, George in 2025, Slukynsky in 2026. Now comes the next step, as both players begin the first year of their respective entry-level contracts.
What To Look For
There have been reports that the Kings could open the season with three goaltenders on the NHL roster – Kuemper, Forsberg and Portillo.
I think that is certainly a possibility that is on the table, though there is nothing set in stone. There are a couple reasons to consider it. The Kings have two veteran goaltenders in their 30’s and Kuemper has sustained multiple injuries in both of his seasons in Los Angeles. In each of the last two seasons, he’s missed time within the first five games of the season. An insurance policy, specifically early, makes sense. Additionally, the Kings need both George and Slukynsky playing minutes. I think the ECHL should be considered as a viable, short-term option for both players, but if the Kings don’t go that route, there’s only one net in Ontario, and three goalies sharing it is not ideal.
Keeping three in the NHL could make sense, but there’s a ton of time between now and then to figure things out.
In the meantime, those in question will need to, well, answer some questions. Can Forsberg replicate his strong 2025-26 season? Can Kuemper rediscover his form from the 2024-25 season? Can Portillo prove that he is ready to make the jump to the NHL level? Can George and Slukynsky deliver on their promise early in their professional careers and establish themselves as viable AHL starters? I don’t have the answers, but all five have their own question marks.
As such, performances during practices and in scrimmage settings will be important. Preseason performances as well. For Slukynsky and George, I’d expect both to feature prominently at the Rookie Faceoff in San Jose, an opportunity for both to make an early statement. With only four exhibition games, gone are the days where everyone gets their moment. Some might only get a period or a partial game. Some might not play at all at the NHL level, with rookie games and AHL exhibition games an option for the younger two specifically.
If it’s three goalies in the NHL, that means a young tandem of George/Slukynsky in Ontario. If it’s two, the logjam moves down to the AHL level. I think a lot of that will play itself out in training camp. With only four games, it’ll be really interesting to see how the Kings opt to deploy their goaltenders. If Kuemper, Forsberg and Portillo each get a game, that really limits the options. Or, if not everyone gets a full game, you might have guys going into the season without a full 60 under their belts.
Last season, goaltending was the furthest thing from the mind as camp got underway. Not the case this time around and it’ll actually be among the most important storylines to watch as camp gets underway in a few weeks.
The other elephant in the room is that the Kings ran a goalie-friendly system for years. We saw several goaltenders come to Los Angeles and thrive. With a more aggressive style of play, don’t expect an insulating system this time around. The Kings need more from their netminders than they got last season and that might go twice when you consider the philosophical shift to the way the team plays.
Looking Ahead
More to come here over the next couple of weeks.
Four more stories to go: defensemen – broken down by left shot and right shot – and then wingers and centers. Camp is almost upon us, Insiders! Exciting to have something to almost talk about once again.
