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Goalie Darcy Kuemper left the Los Angeles Kings’ game against the visiting New York Rangers after a collision in the crease late in the first period on Tuesday night.
Los Angeles head coach Jim Hiller declined to reveal the nature of Kuemper’s injury, and he was unsure of its severity immediately after the Kings’ 4-3 victory.
“I don’t have too much to share,” Hiller said. “We’ll probably know a little bit more [Wednesday].”
Kuemper, who is expected to play for Canada at the Olympics next month, got hurt when the Rangers’ Jonny Brodzinski and made some contact with Kuemper’s head while attempting to stop after a two-on-one rush to the net.
Although it didn’t appear to be a heavy collision, Kuemper apparently called to the officials for a stoppage in play moments later. He skated around gingerly before going up the tunnel to the Kings’ dressing room with 38.8 seconds left in the period.
Kuemper missed the second half of December after taking a hit to the head from Mikko Rantanen during a loss at Dallas. Hiller said he doesn’t currently believe Kuemper’s new injury is comparable to last month’s setback.
“From what I’m gathering, I don’t think that’s going to be the case,” Hiller said. “I don’t know enough for sure, so I really shouldn’t comment, but I did have a chance to speak to him quickly, and it seemed like he was doing OK from that perspective.”
Nineteen-year-old Macklin Celebrini will join Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon on the Canadian men’s Olympic hockey team, as NHLers return to the Winter Games for the first time in more than a decade.
Kuemper returned on Jan. 1 for the Kings, and he has appeared in nine of their 11 games this month.
Backup Anton Forsberg replaced Kuemper and made 28 saves in an outstanding performance, leading the Kings to victory.
“It happened so quick, and it was the end of the period,” Forsberg said. “A couple of seconds left, so at that point, just get through the first and see what happens after that. Focus on what I can do and just play my game. Came in here and found out that I was going to play the whole game, so at that point you just focus.”
The 35-year-old Kuemper was selected for Canada’s Olympic roster on New Year’s Eve, joining goalies Jordan Binnington and Logan Thompson.
Kuemper is a 14-year NHL veteran from Saskatchewan who won the Stanley Cup for the Colorado Avalanche in 2022.
The Kings snapped a four-game skid with their victory over New York. They don’t play again until Saturday, when they open a six-game road trip in St. Louis.
Host Karissa Donkin and hockey analyst Jeff Marek react to Team Canada’s men’s hockey roster for Milano Cortina 2026.
