ESPN: Coyotes’ Darcy Kuemper one of the 10 best goaltenders in NHL
Apr 11, 2021, 7:01 AM | Updated: 11:18 am
Arizona Coyotes goaltender Darcy Kuemper prepares for play to resume after a timeout in the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Colorado Avalanche, Monday, March 8, 2021, in downtown Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
(AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Even in a down year, Arizona Coyotes goalie Darcy Kuemper is still considered one of the best goalies in hockey.
Kuemper has been on injured reserve since March 10 but has played well enough that anonymous NHL executives polled by ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski consider him the ninth-best goaltender in the league.
Kuemper hasn’t had his best season, both in stats (.914 save percentage) and in his ability to stay in the lineup. But he had built a lot of good will in the previous two seasons, posting a .925 and .928 save percentage, respectively, in those campaigns.
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While Kuemper has the 10th most wins (103) since coming into the NHL in 2012, the seventh most wins in Coyotes franchise history (52) and has played at a high level for the majority of his career, his stout performance in the playoffs last season where he made 49 saves in two separate games made Kuemper a household name, according to an executive.
“His name comes up in trade rumors because he’s incredibly valuable [to Arizona]. Which is why he’s still there.”
Kuemper has 19 career shutouts, which is tied for eighth-most in the NHL since his rookie year in 2012. Kuemper has notched nine shutouts as a member of the Coyotes, which is sixth all-time in franchise history.
Throughout his career, Kuemper has been a model of consistency. According to Hockey Reference, he has faced 6,508 shots in his nine-year career, which is the ninth most in the NHL in that span. Of those, he’s stopped 5,972 (.918).
Despite facing more shots in the last nine seasons than most goalies, Kuemper’s career save percentage is tied with Hendrik Lundqvist and Cory Schneider for the fifth-best among active goalies.
