He was a big name in the NCAA, and for the past few years, he has been seen as an excellent NHL prospect between the pipes. Now, he has signed for three seasons.
This is a great move for the Los Angeles Kings, who add depth in goal behind Darcy Kuemper (whom they acquired from the Washington Capitals in the Pierre-Luc Dubois trade).
It will be interesting to see if he can establish himself in the NHL this season.
The scoop was first released earlier today by The Mayor, but the Kings have now officially confirmed the news.
It's worth noting that the last two years are one-way, so don't be surprised if Portillo becomes a regular NHL goaltender sooner rather than later.
At 23 years old, Erik Portillo is a 6-foot-6, 224-pound goaltender. He was a third-round pick by the Buffalo Sabres in 2019 and was traded to the Los Angeles Kings in March 2023 (for a third-round pick) because he didn't want to sign there.
He was very solid in the AHL last season:
A record of 24-11-3, a 2.50 GAA, and a .918 save percentage.
He is definitely a name to remember in goal for the coming years.
POLL | ||
25 AOUT | 782 ANSWERS 6 foot 6 young goaltender Erik Portillo has just signed a new contract Do you believe that the Montreal Canadiens need to acquire another goaltender to complete their rebuild? | ||
Yes | 372 | 47.6 % |
No, the current goaltenders are the solution | 410 | 52.4 % |
List of polls |