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Kings Re-Sign Goaltending Prospect

The Los Angeles Kings signed their top goaltending prospects to a new contract.

Jacob Punturi

Coachella Valley forward Cameron Hughes (19) looks for a shot on Ontario goaltender Erik Portillo (1) as defenseman Kevin Connauton (44) checks him into the net during the first period of Game 2 of the Pacific Division Finals at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, Calif., Friday, May 17, 2024.
Coachella Valley forward Cameron Hughes (19) looks for a shot on Ontario goaltender Erik Portillo (1) as defenseman Kevin Connauton (44) checks him into the net during the first period of Game 2 of the Pacific Division Finals at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, Calif., Friday, May 17, 2024. / Andy Abeyta/The Desert Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK
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The Los Angeles Kings shuffled their goaltending depth this summer. The biggest move of thier offseason came when they swapped center Pierre-Luc Dubois for goaltender Darcy Kuemper in a trade with the Washington Capitals. In Kuemper, the Kings are hoping to end the carousel of netminders they've gone through in recent years.

Looking towards the future, the Kings believe they have an ideal plan in place. Kuemper can man the net for the duration of his contract before turning the net over to goaltending prospect Erik Portillo. The team just re-signed their top prospect in net to a three year contract, keeping him with the organization through the 2026-2027 season. The deal carries an average annual value of $783,333 at the NHL level. An interesting note is that the final two seasons of this contract are one-way, meaning the team will pay him the same salary regardless of him being in the NHL or AHL.

The 23 year-old Swedish goaltender has steadily progressed since originally being drafted in the third round of the 2019 NHL Draft by the Buffalo Sabres. He attended the University of Michigan for three seasons, and that's where he really caught the attention of NHL organizations.

As the netminder for two straight Big-10 Conference tournament championship teams, he was the NCAA's best goaltender. His sophomore season was one to remember, as he went 31-10-1 with a goals against average (GAA) of 2.14 and a save percentage of .926. He was also a finalist for the Mike Richter Award and Big-10 Goaltender of the Year. He followed that up with a stellar junior season, going 25-11-2. Over his Michigan career, he accumulated a dominant record of 60-22-3.

This past season was his first professional one with the Kings' organization. He spent the entirety of it with the Kings' AHL affiliate, the Ontario Reign. He adjusted beautifully in his debut season as he appeared in 39 total games. He earned a record of 24-11-3, with a GAA of 2.50 and a save percentage of .918.

What stands out in Portillo's game, aside from his quickness on the ice, is his size. The 6'6, nearly 230-pound netminder is a force in the crease. Being so difficult to disrupt and knock off his angle was huge for him this past season, as it allowed him to control his crease and shut down scoring opportunities.

With him under contract for the next three seasons, the Kings have an excellent plan in net. Giving Portillo some more time to grow his game in the AHL could give him just enough time to become the team's next starting goaltender.

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Jacob Punturi
JACOB PUNTURI

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