Darcy Kuemper of the Kings Makes a Comeback After Neck Injury Worry
Kings Goaltender Darcy Kuemper Cleared to Return After Neck Injury
Los Angeles Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper has been cleared to return to practice following a neck injury sustained during a game against the New York Rangers. Kuemper, who is among three netminders selected for Canada’s Olympic hockey roster, experienced symptoms after being hit by Rangers forward Jonny Brodzinski in the first period.
In an interview following Thursday’s practice, Kuemper recounted the incident. “Yeah, kind of got hit on the side of my neck, and it pinched my neck and pinched the nerves, and my arm went dead,” he explained. After losing feeling in his arm, he was replaced by goalie Anton Forsberg.
Kuemper reported feeling better the following day. Subsequent examinations confirmed he would be fit to join the team for an upcoming six-game road trip, starting against the St. Louis Blues on Saturday. This road trip coincides with the Grammy Awards, which will be held at Crypto.com Arena.
The 35-year-old netminder has been named to Canada’s 25-man squad for the Milan Cortina Olympics next month, joining St. Louis goalie Jordan Binnington and Washington’s Logan Thompson. This marks Kuemper’s first Olympic appearance, having previously contributed to Canada’s success in international competitions.
A veteran of 14 NHL seasons and a Stanley Cup winner with the Colorado Avalanche in 2022, Kuemper currently holds a record of 12-9-9, with a 2.52 goals against average and .904 save percentage in 32 games this season. Notably, he missed six games in December due to an upper-body injury sustained from a hit by Dallas Stars forward Mikko Rantanen.
