Darcy Kuemper Bio
Darcy Kuemper is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender for the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL). Born on May 5, 1990, in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, he was drafted 161st overall in the sixth round of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft by the Minnesota Wild. Over his career, he has played for several teams, including the Arizona Coyotes and Colorado Avalanche. Kuemper achieved significant success in the NHL, highlighted by winning the Stanley Cup with the Avalanche in 2022. He has also represented Canada internationally, earning a gold medal at the 2021 World Championship.
Early Life and Background
Darcy Kuemper was born on May 5, 1990, in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, to police officer Brent Kuemper and accountant Sharon Kuemper. Saskatoon is home to a large ice hockey community, and Kuemper began ice skating by the age of three. In his early youth hockey leagues, players would take various turns at goaltender, and Kuemper always enjoyed his turn. At the age of 10, he decided to become a full-time goaltender.
His enjoyment of the position came from the fact that, while other skaters came on and off the ice in shifts, the goaltender was constantly involved in play. As a child, Kuemper often played minor ice hockey alongside fellow Saskatoon natives Luke and Brayden Schenn. Kuemper’s goaltending abilities first attracted attention when he played for the Saskatoon Contacts and Blazers in the Saskatchewan Male U18 AAA Hockey League as an adolescent.
Path to Hockey
During the 2005-06 Saskatchewan Male U18 AAA Hockey League season, Kuemper, who split time in net for the Contacts with Carl Jahrus, had a 16-3 record and was third in the league with a 2.32 goals against average. Kuemper and the Blazers came within one game of winning the league championship in 2008, but lost to the Notre Dame Hounds in five games. The Spokane Chiefs of the Western Hockey League selected Kuemper 45th overall in the 2005 WHL Bantam Draft, and he was later traded to the Red Deer Rebels in December 2007.
Kuemper started playing in the WHL during the 2008-09 season, backing up Morgan Clark on the Rebels before taking over as the everyday goaltender. Over three seasons with the Red Deer Rebels, he won the Del Wilson Trophy in 2010-11 as the WHL’s top goaltender, along with the CHL Goaltender of the Year, posting 45 wins, a 1.86 goals against average, and a .933 save percentage. His strong junior performance helped position him for the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.
Darcy Kuemper Career
Early Career (2010-2017)
On May 26, 2011, Kuemper signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Minnesota Wild. He was loaned to the Ontario Reign of the ECHL in October 2011 before being recalled by the Wild in November. Kuemper was recalled again on February 12, 2013, and five days later he made 29 saves on 31 shots to earn his first career NHL win against the Detroit Red Wings. On May 7, 2013, he made his Stanley Cup playoffs debut, replacing an injured Josh Harding during a game against the Chicago Blackhawks.
In the 2014 playoffs, Kuemper started in game three of the Wild’s first-round series against the Colorado Avalanche, recording a shutout before sustaining an injury in game seven. After Devan Dubnyk was acquired by Minnesota, Kuemper and Niklas Backstrom split time as Dubnyk’s backup. On July 1, 2017, Kuemper agreed to a one-year contract with the Los Angeles Kings, where he excelled in the backup role with 10 wins in 19 appearances during the 2017-18 season.
Arizona Coyotes Era (2018-2021)
On February 21, 2018, Kuemper was traded to the Arizona Coyotes for goaltender Scott Wedgewood and forward Tobias Rieder, and was immediately re-signed to a two-year extension. With Antti Raanta injured for most of 2018-19, Kuemper appeared in a career-high 55 games and posted a 27-20-8 record. He finished fifth in voting for the Vezina Trophy, awarded to the NHL’s best goaltender. On October 2, 2019, the Coyotes signed Kuemper to a two-year, $9 million extension.
During the 2019-20 season, Kuemper appeared in 29 games with a 16-11-2 record and a .928 save percentage before the regular season was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic. In the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs held in a bubble in Canada, Kuemper was widely considered the decisive factor in the Coyotes’ victory over the Nashville Predators in the qualifying round, recording a .933 save percentage across four games. In the shortened 2020-21 season, Kuemper played only 27 of 56 games due to an MCL injury, posting a .907 save percentage.
Colorado Avalanche Era (2021-2022)
On July 28, 2021, Kuemper was traded to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for a 2022 first-round pick, a conditional 2024 third-round pick, and defenceman Conor Timmins. He was acquired to replace the team’s former starter Philipp Grubauer, who departed in free agency. Kuemper finished the regular season with 37 wins, a 37-12-4 record, five shutouts, and a .921 save percentage, all ranking in the top five for NHL goaltenders that season. The Avalanche finished second overall in the NHL and drew the Nashville Predators in the first round of the 2022 playoffs.
Kuemper won his first two games against the Predators but exited game three after a stick accidentally poked him in the eye. After missing one game, he returned to help the Avalanche sweep the Predators and later led Colorado past the St. Louis Blues in six games for their first conference finals appearance in 21 years. He was forced to exit game one of the conference finals against the Edmonton Oilers with an upper body injury, but returned for the Stanley Cup Finals against the Tampa Bay Lightning. In a series-deciding game six, Kuemper stopped 22 of 23 shots as the Avalanche won their third Stanley Cup title in franchise history.
Washington Capitals Era (2022-2024)
On July 13, 2022, Kuemper was signed as a free agent to a five-year, $26.25 million contract with the Washington Capitals. On October 29, 2022, he recorded his first shutout with the Capitals in a 3-0 win against the Nashville Predators. He spent two seasons in Washington before being traded.
Los Angeles Kings Era (2024-Present)
On June 19, 2024, Kuemper was traded back to the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for Pierre-Luc Dubois. In the 2024-25 season, he appeared in 50 games, recording a 31-11-7 record and finishing second in the league in goals against average at 2.02 and third in save percentage at .922. The Kings allowed the second-fewest goals of any team, and Kuemper was for the first time named a finalist for the Vezina Trophy.
Driving Style and Strengths
Kuemper is recognized for his calm, technical approach in the crease and his ability to handle high-volume shot loads. His steady positioning and composure under pressure have made him a reliable starter in playoff environments. Kuemper has shown particular strength in tracking pucks through traffic and maintaining focus across long stretches of play.
Notable Events and Milestones
Kuemper’s signature moment came during the 2022 Stanley Cup Finals, when he outdueled Andrei Vasilevskiy in game six to help the Avalanche win the championship. He joined Hall of Fame netminder Patrick Roy as the only other Avalanche goaltender to start, play in, and win a Stanley Cup Finals series. His Vezina Trophy finalist recognition in 2024-25 marked another major career milestone.
Darcy Kuemper Career Wins
Over his NHL career, Darcy Kuemper has earned wins with the Minnesota Wild, Arizona Coyotes, Colorado Avalanche, Washington Capitals, and Los Angeles Kings. His career-high 37-win season came in 2021-22 with the Avalanche, and he added a 31-win season with the Kings in 2024-25.
NHL Highlights
Kuemper recorded his first career NHL win on February 17, 2013, against the Detroit Red Wings, making 29 saves on 31 shots. He has since posted multiple 20-win seasons and earned recognition as a Vezina Trophy finalist in 2024-25. His most recent standout season included a 31-11-7 record with the Los Angeles Kings and a 2.02 goals against average that ranked second in the league.
Other Wins and Performances
In the Western Hockey League, Kuemper won the Del Wilson Trophy as the top goaltender in 2010-11 and was named CHL Goaltender of the Year with 45 wins. Internationally, he helped Canada win the gold medal at the 2021 World Championship, recording a .916 save percentage in eight games.
Darcy Kuemper Family
Family Background and Hockey Lineage
Darcy Kuemper was raised in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, by his father Brent Kuemper, a police officer, and his mother Sharon Kuemper, an accountant. His upbringing in Saskatoon, a city known for its deep hockey roots, played a significant role in shaping his early interest in the sport.
Personal Life
Kuemper grew up playing minor hockey alongside fellow Saskatoon natives Luke and Brayden Schenn, both of whom went on to NHL careers. Public details about his spouse and children are not widely documented in verified sources.
2025 Season Performance
During the 2024-25 NHL season, Darcy Kuemper enjoyed one of the strongest campaigns of his career with the Los Angeles Kings. He appeared in 50 games, posting a 31-11-7 record and ranking among the league’s top goaltenders in both goals against average and save percentage. His performance helped anchor a Kings defense that allowed the second-fewest goals in the NHL that season.
Kuemper’s consistency and durability were central to the Kings’ push, and he was named a finalist for the Vezina Trophy for the first time in his career. His calm play in high-pressure games earned him recognition as one of the top goaltenders in the league.
Looking ahead, Kuemper remains under contract through the 2026-27 season, giving the Kings stability in net for years to come. His partnership with the team’s coaching staff and his refined technique position him as a key figure in the franchise’s competitive outlook beyond 2025.