As they already deal with the temporary absence of centers Quinton Byfield and Phillip Danault, the Los Angeles Kings [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/los-angeles-kings] lose goaltender Darcy Kuemper, who exited the game early against the Dallas Stars. Late in the first period, Stars right winger Mikko Rantanen collided with Kuemper following a shot that came from the point. Rantanen skated across the Kings’ crease, catching Kuemper on his left side [https://x.com/GinoHard_/status/2000744128754171919?s=20] and making some contact with his head. Dallas scored on the play, but the referee immediately waived it off. The game remained 0-0 going into the second period. The Kings announced that Kuemper would not return [https://x.com/LAKingsPR/status/2000753129667563647?s=20] to the contest, meaning backup goaltender Anton Forsberg will have to finish the job against Dallas. After the collision, Los Angeles’ starting netminder stayed down on the ice for a few moments before heading down the tunnel. Forsberg filled in for the final four minutes of the opening frame, but didn’t face a shot in that span. Kuemper has missed time earlier this season [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/los-angeles-kings/latest-news/kopitar-and-kuemper-listed-day-to-day-perry-practices-for-the-first-time-since-surgery] with a lower-body injury. He missed two games in the middle of October. The Kings dropped both games, which were against the Pittsburgh Penguins [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins] and the Carolina Hurricanes [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/carolina-hurricanes]. The 35-year-old has been a key contributor to Los Angeles holding on to a playoff spot in the Pacific Division. In his last five starts, Kuemper put up a 2-2-1 record, while registering a .944 save percentage, a 1.62 goals-against average and a shutout. Since the start of December [https://www.nhl.com/stats/goalies?reportType=game&dateFrom=2025-12-01&dateTo=2025-12-15&gameType=2&sort=savePct&page=0&pageSize=50], he’s been one of the best goaltenders in the NHL. Where Does Kuemper Stand In Team Canada’s Goaltending Depth Chart? [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/adcdf0d8-f891-43e2-a47a-859d297e1877.jpeg] Where Does Kuemper Stand In Team Canada’s Goaltending Depth Chart? Darcy Kuemper has been solid for the Los Angeles Kings lately, including a shutout in his last appearance. However, where does he stand on Team Canada's goaltending depth chart ahead of the 2026 Olympics? [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/los-angeles-kings/latest-news/where-does-kuemper-stand-in-team-canada-s-goaltending-depth-chart] In terms of season totals, the Saskatoon native has made 22 appearances before his start against the Stars. He has a 10-6-6 record, putting up a .916 SP, 2.21 GAA and two shutouts. Among NHL netminders who have played at least 15 games, he ranks fifth in save percentage and third in goals-against average. Additionally, he’s tied for third in shutouts, behind Sergei Bobrovsky and Ilya Sorokin, who have three each. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Image [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/418258ca-b907-4d7c-a8ac-bf0d6452a347.jpeg] For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free [https://thehockeynews.store/products/print-subscription]. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here [http://eepurl.com/i7OC4I]. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
