Now one-third of the way through their 2024-25 campaign, is a goaltending problem brewing for coach Jim Hiller?
Prior to the season getting underway in October, it was generally assumed incoming netminder Darcy Kuemper — who was on board for his second tour of duty with the team following a trade with Washington over the summer — would be utilized as LA’s No. 1 goalie. And it certainly played out that way early on. The 24-year-old veteran was given the nod in all three of the Kings first three games: at Buffalo, Boston, and Ottawa. Only an injury against the Senators brought that streak to an end.
Upon Kuemper’s return, there was a 10-game stretch before he was injured a second time. Over that span, he started every game that wasn’t part of a back-to-back set except one (Nov. 9 against Columbus). During the pair of consecutive games, he and David Rittich each started one apiece.
From that point forward, though, Rittich had a chance to shine. He played seven of the next eight games, posting a 5-2-0 record. After beating Dallas last Wednesday, the Czechia native had held opponents to two or fewer goals in 11 of his 16 starts (tied for second most in the league). Just looking at things on the surface won’t indicate just how good he’s really been. His .891 save percentage on the season, along with a 2.45 goals against average, are badly inflated by a few extremely rough outings in Toronto (4 goals against in 32 minutes), Vegas (6 goals), and San Jose (7 goals). Interestingly, all three of the starts came on the road.
Putting all of those numbers aside, there’s no denying Rittich has given the Kings a great opportunity to win nearly every night he’s been called upon. So much so, that the numbers suggest he deserves to play more. It’s something Hiller will need to weigh now that Kuemper has returned again.
The latter certainly doesn’t appear to be going away quietly. Despite missing time with two different injuries this season, Kuemper stepped right back into action on Saturday night — against the NHL’s top team — and backstopped the Kings to their fifth straight win and gave up just one goal in the process.
With the Kings set to begin a potentially grueling seven-game road trip in New York on Tuesday, the schedule actually falls in their favor a bit. There is at least one day off in-between all the games, sans the last two, which will played back-to-back in Nashville and Washington. Will Hiller opt to stick with the strategy he used earlier this season, giving Kuemper six starts on the trip or has Rittich done enough to get more than simply one of the back-to-back games?
Lastly, let’s now forget that Kings prospect Erik Portillo could possibly reenter the conversation at some point, as well. He was recalled from AHL Ontario last month and spent several weeks acclimating himself to the daily routines of Hiller’s squad. Then, over Thanksgiving weekend, Portillo made his NHL debut and earned a 2-1 victory over Anaheim. No doubt, he’s hungry for more, while biding his time the Reign for now.
All of this may sound like a good problem to have. Yet, there’s an old saying in the NFL – ‘If you have two quarterbacks, you don’t have one.’
If Rittich or Kuemper can keep performing at their recent level over the next month or so could ultimately clear a path toward establishing who truly is the team’s No. 1. goaltender.
MORE LA KINGS NEWS:
Follow @mayorNHL
Continue reading...
