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Darcy Kuemper

Kings Recall Pheonix Copley, Place Joel Edmundson On Non-Roster List

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Saturday: Copley has been returned to Ontario, per the AHL’s transactions log, suggesting that Kuemper has been cleared to return.

Wednesday: The Kings have recalled netminder Pheonix Copley from AHL Ontario under emergency conditions, per a team announcement. Starter Darcy Kuemper is out with a lower-body injury and is listed as day-to-day, adds Dennis Bernstein of The Fourth Period. Defenseman Joel Edmundson has been granted personal leave and moved to the non-roster list, giving the Kings the open spot on the 23-man roster necessary to add Copley.

It’s a tough break for the 34-year-old Kuemper, who’s just beginning his second stint with the Kings after he was acquired from the Capitals for Pierre-Luc Dubois this offseason. The veteran has played all three games to start the season for Los Angeles and looked strong early on, stopping 56 of 59 shots faced (.949 SV%) through his first two contests. Things came crashing down in a wild game against the Senators on Monday, though, allowing eight goals on 41 shots en route to an overtime loss, bringing his SV% on the year down to .890.

It doesn’t appear he’ll miss too much time, though. He could have been placed on IR to accommodate Copley’s recall but wasn’t, indicating there’s a chance he’ll return within the next seven days. However, he could still land there if Edmundson returns to the team before Kuemper’s ready to play, Bernstein said. Edmundson, 31, has been away from the team since yesterday while awaiting the birth of his child.

The Kings will now turn to David Rittich to make his first appearance of the season tonight against the Maple Leafs after he posted a career-high .921 SV% and 11.0 GSAA in just 24 appearances for Los Angeles last year. Copley, who missed most of last season after undergoing ACL surgery, will back up. The 32-year-old allowed three goals on 22 shots in his lone AHL showing this season against the San Jose Barracuda on Sunday, his first appearance in over 10 months. The Alaska native struggled with a .870 SV% and 3.16 GAA in eight showings for Los Angeles last season, firmly slipping to No. 3 on their goalie depth chart behind Rittich.

Capitals And Kings Swap Pierre-Luc Dubois, Darcy Kuemper

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TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports that the Washington Capitals and Los Angeles Kings are working on a one-for-one swap to see Pierre-Luc Dubois head to Washington and goaltender Darcy Kuemper head to the Kings. LeBrun also mentions that no salary will be retained in the deal. The Kings organization has confirmed the deal.

Although there were no major rumblings that Dubois would be moved this offseason, it makes sense on paper given his no-move clause will start in only a few weeks. The Capitals will now be on the hook for the remaining seven years and $59.5MM remaining on Dubois’ extension.

Washington will now mark the fourth team of Dubois’ career after being involved in two separate trades prior. During the 2020-21 NHL season, Dubois was sent to the Winnipeg Jets in a deal that landed Patrik Laine with the Columbus Blue Jackets. With an apparent distaste for the Jets organization, Dubois was traded to the Kings organization last summer in a deal that saw Gabriel Vilardi, Alex Iafallo, and Rasmus Kupari head to Manitoba.

After posting back-to-back 60-point seasons in Winnipeg, Los Angeles originally thought Dubois would make a perfect addition as the team’s second-line center for many years to come, and even replace Anze Kopitar as the team’s top centerman when he eventually hangs up his skates. However, Dubois failed to deliver on expectations that come with an $8.5MM salary with the Kings, scoring only 16 goals and 40 points this past season.

Dubois’ offensive production was not the only thing to slip in his first season in California, as both his defensive and possession metrics also saw a decline. Nevertheless, although inconsistency has plagued him for much of his career, Dubois is still only 25 years old giving him plenty of time to become a dependable player on any team.

Dubois should have access to a much larger role in Washington given that the team has seen two top-centerman leave the organization in recent years. Nicklas Backstrom has more than likely played his last game in the NHL after failing to fully recover from hip-resurfacing surgery while Evgeny Kuznetsov was shipped off to the Carolina Hurricanes at last year’s deadline after struggling to put up points.

The Capitals will likely start Dubois as the team’s second-line center with Dylan Strome creating solid chemistry with franchise legend Alex Ovechkin, but Dubois gives the team a lot of flexibility at the top of their forward core. Although he is not a very physical player, Dubois carries a big frame which could allow more ice to open up for Ovechkin.

On the other side of the deal, Kuemper’s inclusion in the deal gives Los Angeles some much-needed certainty in the crease while opening up another $3.25MM in cap space. Likewise, this means that the Capitals have firmly committed to Charlie Lindgren as the team’s top goaltender heading into the 2024-25 NHL season. After the swap, the Kings now have $23.45MM in cap space but do have a couple of restricted free agents to bring back into the fold.

It will be interesting to see if Kuemper can rediscover his game in California, as he had not been very consistent throughout his time with the Capitals. In 2021-22, then the starting goaltender for the Colorado Avalanche, Kuemper backstopped his team to a Stanley Cup Championship which would later earn him a five-year, $26.25MM deal with Washington on the open market.

Throughout his time in the United States capital, Kuemper started in 86 games for the Capitals in two seasons earning a 35-40-10 record while carrying a .902 save percentage and 3.03 goals against average. In any case, Kuemper should benefit from a much stronger defensive core in Los Angeles as the team only allowed 2296 shots against this past season which was good for fourth in the NHL.

PHR’s Brennan McClain contributed significantly to this article. 

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.  

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman was the first to report Dubois had been traded to Washington. 

TSN’s Pierre LeBrun was the first to report that Kuemper was included in the trade. 

LeBrun was the first to break the full trade details. 

Injury Notes: Capitals, Flyers, Canadiens, Grzelcyk

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At this morning’s practice before the team’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets tomorrow night, Tarik El-Bashir of Monumental Sports Network reports that defenseman Martin Fehervary is doing some light skating for the Washington Capitals, but is not expected back for tomorrow’s game. Ferhervary has been out with a lower-body injury since the team’s win against the New Jersey Devils last week.

El-Bashir also notes that even though he has not missed a game due to the illness, Evgeny Kuznetsov will still be missing practice due to the ailment. Lastly, as the last report from practice, goaltender Darcy Kuemper appeared ’fine’ at practice after leaving Wednesday’s practice with an apparent injury.

After an incredibly slow start through the team’s first five games of the regular season, the Capitals have turned things around dramatically, producing a 7-1-1 record since that time, moving up to second place in the Metropolitan Division. If the team hopes to continue the hot streak, they will need to sustain relative health through the end of the calendar year.

Other notes:

  • Missing almost a month of action, Charlie O’Connor of PHLY Sports reports that defenseman Marc Staal of the Philadelphia Flyers is out of the non-contact jersey at practice, indicating he could be close to returning. Dealing with a rib injury from the team’s October 19th game against the Edmonton Oilers, Staal has only managed four games this year, failing to produce a point.
  • Leaving last night’s game against the Vegas Golden Knights during the second period, the Montreal Canadiens announced that defenseman Arber Xhekaj is considered day-to-day with an upper-body injury. Xhekaj notably missed the last month and a half of the 2022-23 regular season due to a shoulder injury, and has scored one goal and two assists in 17 games upon his return.
  • Eligible to return next Saturday against the New York Rangers, Boston Bruins’ defenseman, Matt Grzelcyk is still on the LTIR, rehabbing his way back from an upper-body injury sustained in late October. However, Steve Conroy of the Boston Herald indicates the rehab process is going well, as Grzelcyk is back practicing with the team today.

Injury Updates: Kuemper, McGinn, Nedeljkovic, Ludvig

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Capitals goaltender Darcy Kuemper has been limited to eight games so far due to injuries and it might be a bit before that number goes up.  NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti relays that the netminder had to be helped to the dressing room after taking a shot to an unpadded area during practice today.  Head coach Spencer Carbery didn’t have a direct update at the time but noted that Kuemper’s situation was not ideal.  The 33-year-old has a 3.07 GAA with a .892 SV% so far this season and was already working his way back from an undisclosed injury.  Charlie Lindgren has been the starter while Kuemper was out and that will continue to be the case while they determine how long this latest issue will keep the veteran out.

Other injury news from around the NHL:

  • The Ducks welcomed back winger Brock McGinn to the lineup tonight, activating him off injured reserve. The 29-year-old had been dealing with a lower-body injury that kept him out for their first 15 games.  Last season, McGinn split time between Pittsburgh and Anaheim, who took on his contract at the trade deadline as part of the return for blueliner Dmitry Kulikov.
  • Penguins goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic is on track to return on Sunday, notes Matt Vensel of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. That is the first day that he’s eligible to be activated.  The 27-year-old skated for the first time today since suffering a lower-body injury three weeks ago.  Nedeljkovic is in his first season with Pittsburgh and has played twice for his new team so far.  Magnus Hellberg is likely to be sent back to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton once Nedeljkovic is cleared to return.
  • Also from Vensel’s column, defenseman John Ludvig is expected to be sent to the minors on a conditioning stint soon. The 23-year-old suffered a concussion less than six minutes into his NHL debut and has been on LTIR since then.  An LTIR conditioning loan is generally for a maximum of three games although it can be extended to five with league approval.  Ludvig would remain on LTIR for the duration of that assignment; the Penguins would need to open up enough cap space to activate him when he’s cleared to return.

Snapshots: Darcy Kuemper, Carter Hart, Patrik Laine

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Washington Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery shared that Darcy Kuemper got banged up in the team’s last game. He will sit out of the team’s Friday game with an undisclosed injury. The Capitals recalled Hunter Shepard in response. He will serve as the backup behind Charlie Lindgren on Friday.

Kuemper has been in and out of the lineup to start the season, appearing in eight games with the Capitals. He’s managed a 3-3-2 record through that span, recording a .892 save percentage. That’s a step down from the .902 save percentage that he ended the 2022-23 season with – a mark he set en route to a 22-26-7 record in 57 games.

Charlie Lindgren has found himself with the best save percentage on the team, currently sitting with a .929 through the two games he’s appeared in, saving 65 of the 70 shots that he’s faced so far. Shepard also stepped in for one game, allowing four goals on 22 shots but nevertheless managing his first NHL win.

Other notes from around the league:

Goaltender Mitchell Gibson Signs With Washington Capitals

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TSN’s Frank Seravalli is reporting that Harvard goaltender Mitchell Gibson has decided to forgo a year at Harvard to sign a one-year deal with the Washington Capitals. Gibson’s deal is technically an entry level deal because of his age, meaning that he will likely sign an amateur tryout agreement with Washington’s AHL affiliate the Hershey Bears for the remainder of this season.

The 23-year-old netminder has flourished in the NCAA since being Washington’s fourth round pick in the 2018 NHL entry draft. This past season he posted an 18-7-2 record with a .919 save percentage and 2.25 goals against average. Gibson’s stellar numbers led to him being named a semi-finalist for the Mike Richter Award as the nation’s top goaltender.

The Capitals currently have one of the worst prospect pools in the NHL, but they have moved up the farm system rankings in recent years. While Gibson is hardly an A level prospect at his age, he does help Washington re-stock the cupboard after years of emptying it to compete for Stanley Cups during the Alex Ovechkin era.

Washington will likely give Gibson plenty of time to develop in Hershey. Goaltenders tend to be late bloomers and Washington has very little urgency to rush him with Darcy Kuemper and Charlie Lindgren still under contract for at least the next two seasons.

Darcy Kuemper Will Not Dress Today For Washington Capitals

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Washington Post reporter Roman Stubbs is reporting that the Washington Capitals will be without starting netminder Darcy Kuemper today when they battle the Minnesota Wild. Kuemper left the Capitals practice yesterday with what is being called an upper body injury. He is now listed as day-to-day. Charlie Lindgren will start in Kuemper’s place.

This recent development is a tough break for the Washington Capitals as they currently sit five points back of the Pittsburgh Penguins for the final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference. The Capitals have just 12 games remaining on the season and need to scoop up every point they can if they want to leapfrog the Florida Panthers and the Penguins to grab the final wild card spot.

The Capitals were conservative sellers at the trade deadline after recognizing the precarious position they were in. Despite moving on from several players they have managed to tread water in the difficult Eastern Conference. Should Kuemper be out for any length of time one would have to think that the Capitals will be unlikely to qualify for the postseason.

Kuemper has had a challenging first year in Washington after signing a five-year contract in the offseason on the heels of a Stanley Cup run with the Colorado Avalanche. The Capitals had hopes that he could stabilize their goaltending situation after years of uncertainty between the pipes. Kuemper’s play has been uneven this season as his save percentage has dropped from .921 to .910, while his goals saved above expected has gone from 21 last season to just 7.9 this season. He’s been okay for the Capitals, but given the contract they handed out last summer, his play has been underwhelming.

Metropolitan Notes: Kuemper, Trineyev, Pyyhtia, Lindgren, Nylander

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Capitals netminder Darcy Kuemper left practice early today after sustaining an upper-body injury, notes NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti (Twitter link).  At this point, it’s unknown if he’ll be available to play on Sunday in Minnesota.  If he does miss time, it will be the second time that the 32-year-old has been out with an injury this season as he missed eight games back in December.  Despite that, Kuemper has had a decent first year with Washington, posting a 2.77 GAA with a .910 SV% and a league-high five shutouts in 48 starts.  If Kuemper can’t play, Charlie Lindgren will take over as the interim starter for the Caps.

More from the Metropolitan:

  • Still with Washington, the Capitals have re-assigned forward Bogdan Trineyev from KHL Dynamo Moscow to AHL Hershey, per a team release. The 21-year-old had 13 points in 39 games during the regular season while adding a pair of assists in the KHL playoffs before being eliminated.  Trineyev got into two games with Hershey in the playoffs last season and should have a chance to see more action with them this time around.
  • The Blue Jackets announced that they have re-assigned winger Mikael Pyyhtia to AHL Cleveland. The 21-year-old spent the season with TPS in Finland, picking up just seven goals in 47 games after putting up 21 in 56 contests in 2021-22 which helped him earn an entry-level contract last May.  His season over there came to an end so he will now get his first taste of action in North America down the stretch.
  • While Ryan Lindgren was a full participant in practice today, the defenseman isn’t likely to play tonight, relays Larry Brooks of the New York Post (Twitter link). The 25-year-old has been out for the last four weeks with an upper-body injury.  The Rangers opted not to place him on LTIR at the time, opting to play short players earlier this month as a result but in hindsight, they would have been able to get away with putting him there and then send players down once Lindgren is cleared to return, which should be quite soon now.
  • The Penguins recently reclassified Alexander Nylander’s recall from an emergency one to a regular one, notes Rob Rossi of The Athletic (Twitter link). In doing so, Nylander is allowed to remain up with the team even when it’s not an emergency situation but it also means they use one of their four allowable post-deadline recalls.  They have two remaining now; the other was used on a paper transaction with Drew O’Connor.

Washington Capitals Activate Darcy Kuemper

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The Washington Capitals activated goalie Darcy Kuemper off injured reserve Monday afternoon, according to a team release. In corresponding transactions, they also returned netminders Zachary Fucale and Hunter Shepard to the AHL’s Hershey Bears.

Washington’s been without Kuemper since December 3, when he sustained an upper-body injury in a loss against the Calgary Flames. The 32-year-old has been inconsistent at times with the Capitals but still has strong numbers overall. Despite an 8-9-2 record, he’s still managed a respectable .916 save percentage, 2.56 goals against average, and two shutouts in 20 appearances.

Backup Charlie Lindgren started every game in Kuemper’s two-week absence and did not disappoint. Not including his relief appearance against Calgary, Lindgren helped get Washington solidly back into playoff contention with a .938 save percentage and a 6-1-0 record in his past seven games.

Some were excited to potentially see the 27-year-old Shepard get his first NHL start, but it wasn’t to be. He returns to Hershey, where he has yet to lose in regulation through eight games.

Washington Capitals Recall Zachary Fucale

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5:31 pm: According to Tarik El-Bashir of The Athletic, Shephard has been ruled out of tonight’s game with an upper-body injury, necessitating the Fucale recall.

4:25 pm: The Washington Capitals announced late this afternoon that they’ve recalled goaltender Zachary Fucale from the Hershey
Bears, their AHL affiliate. Fucale will join the pairing of Charlie Lindgren and Hunter Shepard in net for Washington. Shepard had been recalled on an emergency basis in the wake of Darcy Kuemper’s injury and subsequent placement on IR back on December 3rd. No corresponding moves were announced.

Despite bringing Shepard up nearly two weeks ago, the Capitals haven’t played the netminder just yet, opting to have Lindgren shoulder the load. Lindgren, who Washington signed to a three-year deal this offseason to back up Kuemper, has had a solid start to the season, recording a .910 save-percentage and 2.76 goals-against average in 14 games, but has really stepped things up since Kuemper went down, posting five of his seven wins along with a .936 save-percentage, surrendering just 11 goals over the six games.

Shepard, 27, was off to a dominant start in the AHL with a .932 save-percentage and 1.83 goals-against in his first eight games, but along with Lindgren’s superb performance, Shepard simply has never played in the NHL and has spent the bulk of his professional career in the ECHL.

It’s unclear what Washington’s plan is with Fucale now that he’s been called up as well. Unlike Shepard, Fucale has struggled this season with Hershey, however he does have longer track record of professional hockey, dating back to 2015-16. At one point considered one of the more exciting goaltending prospects in the NHL, the former Montreal Canadiens draft pick has only recently made his NHL debut, getting into four games for the Capitals last season.

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