Darcy Kuemper 2025-26 Season Review
· Yahoo Sports
The 2025-26 season for Darcy Kuemper was a setback compared to the season before, when he was a Vezina finalist for the NHL's best goaltender. Darcy Kuemper, throughout the season for the Kings, was the starter, and while his play was not as good as the season before, the Kings still felt he was the goalie they needed to help get into the playoffs. But with Kuemper's play declining and Anton Forsberg playing some of the best hockey of his career, when the end of the season came around, it was Kuemper who was backing up Forsberg.
Starting Role
Before April Kuemper, he was the Kings' number 1 goaltender, and Kuempers statistics back that up, as he played in 50 games, recording 19 wins, 14 losses, and 15 Overtime losses. In those 50 games, Kuemper put up a 2.78 GAA and a .891 SV%. Kuemper's stats, compared to his Vezina-nominated season, are significantly worse, and as the season progressed, the Kings shifted from Kuemper to Forsberg.
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Backup Role
After the starting goaltending job went to Anton Forsberg, he ended up putting some of the best numbers of his career, which not only helped the Kings make the playoffs, but also made the decision between him and Kuemper for the Game 1 starter in the playoffs pretty easy. Kuemper, in his last 4 starts for the Kings, did not post a save percentage above .890. Kuemper also did not play at all during the Kings-Avalanche series.
Next Season
Heading into next season, the Kings face an interesting decision about their starting goaltender. They can either go back to Darcy Kuemper and hope he improves over the offseason, or they can go to Anton Forsberg, who is coming off an impressive season, but the 3rd option for the Kings is to split the net between Forsberg and Kuemper.
Kuemper played in 50 games, and Forsberg played in 36. Heading into next season, it could benefit both netminders and the Kings to run a tandem goalie system, with Kuemper and Forsberg playing every other game, which would help them conserve energy throughout the season.
Ultimately, the 2025-26 season for Kuemper was a disappointment, but he remains capable of backstopping the Kings and is a strong option as a starting goaltender. If the Kings don't run a tandem goaltending system, Kuemper could get his starting role back once the season begins.