Darcy Kuemper found out that he was traded to the Kings in a very funny way.
Darcy Kuemper found out that he was traded to the Kings in a very funny way.
On Wednesday, the Washington Capitals traded former Colorado Avalanche goalie Darcy Kuemper to the Los Angeles Kings for Pierre-Luc Dubois. After a shaky 2023-24 season in DC that saw him lose the starting goalie job to Charlie Lindgren, Kuemper may benefit from this fresh start.
In 33 games with the Capitals in 2023-24, Kuemper posted a 13-14-3 record, a 3.31 goals-against average, and a .890 save percentage. It was a surprisingly rough year for the 34-year-old, but there is hope he can bounce back in 2024-25 with LA.
Keep in mind, just back in 2021-22, Kuemper was a star with the Avalanche, posting a 37-12-4 record, a 2.54 GAA, and a .921 SV% in 57 regular-season games. He also helped the Avs win the Stanley Cup.
Kuemper's reunion with the Kings started off rather humorously. As Russell Morgan reported, Kuemper shared that he discovered he was moved while in the shower when his wife told him, "Hey, I think we got traded."
This is certainly a unique way for a player to find out that they have been traded, and a story Kuemper will be able to tell for a long time. In addition to sharing this trade story, Kuemper also noted that he is looking to show that his struggles this past season were only a fluke. Given his impressive NHL resume, it is hard to bet against him.
It will be intriguing to see how Kuemper performs for the Kings from here. If he finds the form he had while with the Avs, the Kings may finally get their much-needed true starter to help them take that next step.
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