The Los Angeles Kings have reacquired goaltender Pheonix Copley from the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for future considerations, just two weeks after losing him on waivers, per Chris Johnston of The Athletic. The move immediately bolsters Los Angeles' goaltending depth as Darcy Kuemper remains day-to-day with a lower-body injury. To make room on the roster, Erik Portillo has been loaned back to the Ontario Reign, the Kings’ AHL affiliate.
Tampa Bay had claimed the 33-year-old on October 2, when the Lightning were uncertain about the health of Andrei Vasilevskiy during training camp. However, with Vasilevskiy now cleared to play and Jonas Johansson serving as backup, Copley became expendable, leading to his trade back to Los Angeles.
The North Pole, Alaska native spent most of the 2024-25 season with the Ontario Reign, where he appeared in 42 games, posting a 24-17-1 record, 2.49 goals-against average (GAA), and .904 save percentage (SV%) along with two shutouts. Those 24 wins ranked among the top four AHL goaltenders last season. He also made one relief appearance for the Kings during the same campaign.
Copley’s most productive NHL season came in 2022-23, when he stabilized Los Angeles’ crease amid struggles from veterans Jonathan Quick and Cal Petersen, recording a 24-6-3 record with a 2.64 GAA and .903 SV%. He helped the Kings secure a playoff berth that year. However, knee surgery in December 2023 limited him to just eight appearances in the 2023-24 season, and he saw only one NHL game in the 2024-25 season behind Kuemper and David Rittich.
In 77 career NHL games, Copley owns a 44-16-8 record with three shutouts, a 2.84 GAA, and a .898 SV%, during his time with the Los Angeles, Washington Capitals, and St. Louis Blues. In the AHL, Copley has played 279 career games, assembling a 148-93-29 record with 17 shutouts, a 2.51 GAA, and a .910 SV%.
Copley’s return shows that the Kings never intended to lose him. His reliability as a depth option provides insurance while Kuemper recovers and allows Portillo to continue his development in the AHL. Copley is likely to share duties with Anton Forsberg in the short term, particularly as Los Angeles prepares for a five-game road trip following their upcoming home matchup against the Carolina Hurricanes.
