Welcome to another edition of NHL Rumours! We’re getting deeper into the Stanley Cup Final, which means the off-season is growing closer. Names are beginning to surface and the buzz is growing larger. Todays rumours are swirling around the Los Angeles Kings and what they do with their goaltending.
NHL Rumours
Rumour: Frank Servaelli from Daily Faceoff touches on the Kings goaltending
One of the stronger teams in the western conference is the Los Angeles Kings. They are a perfect blend of youth and veteran and have the team built to contend. The Kings are led by captain Anze Kopitar and defenseman Drew Doughty, but have numerous building blocks behind them. This was a team that was strong defensively and had the tools to score goals.
One area that had been glaring is the play between the pipes. Moving on from two time Stanley Cup Champion Jonathan Quick made sense. Although, the replacements were not bad but it was a short term fix. In a window where the team can contend they need to upgrade.
Cam Talbot and David Rittich were both good for the Kings this season. As a team, they finished with the fourth best team save percentage (.909). Also, both goalies finished in the top 15 in goals saved above expected. The key part is that both are pending free agents and could test market. For a more long term approach, the Kings have a target and are in the mix.
Kings Go Big With Goalie
The latest NHL Rumours involves the Kings goaltending and adding this guy would be a huge boost. As the Bruins look to turn to Jeremy Swayman for the future, Linus Ullmark is a popular trade target. Ullmark will have plenty of suitors and the Kings are one of them.
Ullmark is an immediate upgrade for the Kings and if signed longer term helps extend their window. He has one year left and will make $5 million this upcoming season. His play between the pipes has been stellar and he would benefit from the defensive structure in front of him in Los Angeles.
Ullmark finished the 2023-24 season with 2.57 goals against average and a .915 save percentage. Furthermore, he finished seventh in goals saved above expected (14.7), showing how good he was between the pipes. He won the Vezina Trophy during the 2022-23 season and has been stellar for the Bruins. Ullmark could be the missing piece to the Kings’ puzzle to going further in the postseason.
Main Photo: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports
