If you had goaltender Darcy Kuemper one day winning the Stanley Cup on your bingo card way back when, you were probably one of the very few.
Kuemper, 34, accomplished this feat with the Colorado Avalanche back during the 2021-22 season. Despite being average in those Stanley Cup playoffs, he got the job done by going 10-4 with a 2.57 goals-against average and a .902 save percentage.
He then went on to struggle with the Washington Capitals for two seasons. He fought injuries, struggled to stop the puck on a consistent basis, and ended up losing the starting job to Charlie Lindgren.
Fast forward to this season, and it appears that Kuemper has found solid footing with the Los Angeles Kings. Not only are the Kings currently (As of Tuesday, January 7) the seventh-best team in the NHL with a record of 23-10-5, but Kuemper is one of the main reasons why the Kings are playing well this season.
As of this writing (Tuesday, January 7), Kuemper is 11-2-0-5 with a 2.22 goals-against average, a .920 save percentage, and two shutouts. His .920 save percentage currently ranks fourth in the league,e while his 2.22 goals-against average currently ranks fifth in the league.
Kuemper was also just named third star of the week in the NHL for his performance in the week ending on January 5. During that week, Kuemper won two games, had a shutout, stopped 66 of the 67 shots he faced, posted a 0.50 goals-against average, and had a .985 save percentage.
There are several reasons why Kuemper is having success this season. For starters, he has been consistent on the ice this season.
When Kuemper has started this season, his team knows exactly what they are going to get from him. They are going to get someone who will provide the goaltending that is needed to win hockey games.
Darcy Kuemper’s Stellar Play
Take a look at what he has done for his team to start 2025:
- January 1 vs. the New Jersey Devils: Stopped all 33 shots he faced for a shutout victory.
- January 4 vs. the Tampa Bay Lightning: Stopped 33 of 34 shots and got the victory.
Going back to December 7, Kuemper has helped the Kings get points in nine straight games. In those nine starts, he is 7-0-2 with a 1.76 goals-against average, .937 save percentage, and one shutout.
Another reason why Kuemper is playing so well is because he is playing within himself. This means that he is keeping his game simple by not being flashy, controlling his rebounds, putting pucks to the corner, and not being caught out of position.
This also means that Kuemper is not allowing soft goals, is doing a good job of playing his angles, and is doing a good job of slowing down plays when his team needs a break. Kuemper is being reactive instead of forcing things.
Lastly, Kuemper is playing behind a defensively responsible hockey club. As of this writing (Tuesday, January 7), the Kings are tied for first in the league in goals allowed (95 goals allowed in 38 games) and are tied for first in the league in shots allowed per game (25.1).
The Kings do a great job of protecting Kuemper by forcing shots to the outside, blocking a lot of shots, clearing rebounds, and playing sound defensive hockey. The Kings are doing their part to make life in the crease easy for Kuemper.
There is a lot of hockey left to be played, but with the way Kuemper is playing, there is no reason to believe that he can be a big help to the Kings when it matters most.
ITR 45: Everything Is Happening – Inside The Rink
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