Kings sign goaltender Anton Forsberg to two-year contract (AAV: $2,250,000)

The LA Kings have signed goaltender Anton Forsberg to a two-year contract, carrying an AAV of $2,250,000 through the 2026-27 season.

The Kings had a hole on the roster at the backup goaltender position. Forsberg fills that hole for the Kings, coming off a season in which he played 30 games for the Ottawa Senators as he backed up Linus Ullmark. With Darcy Kuemper established as the starting goaltender, look for Forsberg to fill the backup role with the Kings, rounding out the NHL goalie tandem.

Instant Analysis
Last week, Kings General Manager Ken Holland noted that the Kings were in the market for a backup goaltender, whether that was re-signing David Rittich or looking for a replacement on the free-agent market. Forsberg turns out to be the answer on that front and will be expected to partner with Darcy Kuemper as a veteran tandem at the NHL level. Forsberg is a player I believe the Kings have had their eye on for awhile now, even dating back to his time as a high-end AHL starting goaltender. He’s now a bit more established as an NHL backup at 32-years-old

Forsberg had serviceable numbers last season with Ottawa, posting a .901 save percentage and a 2.72 goals-against average. More advanced goaltending metrics saw Forsberg finish on the positive side of the ledger in terms of goals saved above average (0.89). In terms of goals saved above expectation, a slightly different way of measurement, Forsberg was at -1.50, with the greater minus being better. These aren’t Vezina numbers but they’re above average and more than solid. For a pretty affordable contract and an expected backup role, Forsberg gives the Kings a strong fit in that position.

What I felt the Kings needed in a number-two goaltender was someone who could step in immediately and play 30 games without question. Kuemper is obviously an established starter in net but he’s 35-years-old and missed time on two separate occasions last season. While he’s expected to log the lion’s share of the minutes this season, the Kings can’t expect him to play 65 games. Forsberg has experience as a starter in 2021-22, as he posted a .917 save percentage in 46 games played with Ottawa, and has played between 28 and 30 games over the last three seasons as the second option. He’s more than capable in that role, while offering experience as a starting goaltender in spurts if injury calls for that.

Forsberg completes the goaltending depth for the organization, with Forsberg expected to be with the Kings, leaving Erik Portillo and Pheonix Copley to likely begin with the Ontario Reign in the AHL. Portillo is still highly thought of internally and I think under different circumstances, perhaps he’d have been considered for the backup role to start this season. However, he suffered a back injury in February and missed the rest of the season. He has just one NHL game to his name and for a team that is in a place to contend, it would be a lot to place the expectations of 30-35 games on Portillo. I’d expect him to start in the AHL and if the opportunity arises, he could be in position to seize it as he did last season when Kuemper went down. The Kings also have Copley under contract, one additional season removed from his torn ACL. Copley was good down the stretch in the AHL and could come up to the NHL as a backup without any integration. Behind Kuemper, the Kings have pretty solid depth should it be needed. I don’t think goaltending was anywhere near the most pressing need for the Kings this summer but it was an area that needed one more player to be signed to finish the puzzle. The Kings were able to do that in Forsberg and I think it’s a pretty solid signing.

So, you have Kuemper/Forsberg and Portillo/Copley as your tandems for this season and I think it makes some sense.

From the team’s official release –

Forsberg, 32, played in 30 games for the Ottawa Senators last season, posting a 11-12-3 record with a .901 save percentage (SV%), 2.72 goals-against average (GAA) and three shutouts, the latter two as NHL personal bests. The 6-3, 200-pound netminder joins the Kings having played parts of 10 NHL seasons with the Senators (2020-25), Carolina Hurricanes (2019-20), Chicago Blackhawks (2017-18) and Columbus Blue Jackets (2014-17). In 190 career NHL appearances, Forsberg has established a record of 74-81-14 with a 3.04 GAA, .904 SV% and eight shutouts.

Selected in the seventh round (188th-overall) by Columbus in the 2011 NHL Draft, Forsberg is a veteran of 186 American Hockey League (AHL) games across seven seasons split between the Belleville Senators (2020-21), Charlotte Checkers (2019-20), Rockford IceHogs (2018-19), Cleveland Monsters (2015-17) and Springfield Falcons (2013-15). A two-time AHL All-Star in 2015 and 2017, Forsberg led the Cleveland Monsters to a Calder Cup Championship after going 23-10-5 on the year. During the Monsters’ playoff run, Forsberg established a perfect 9-0 record with a league-best 1.34 GAA and .949 SV%.

Internationally, the Härnösand, Sweden native represented his home country at the 2012 International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) Men’s World Junior Championship where he posted a 2-0-0 record to guide Sweden to a gold medal.