Luke Platt 
Photo Credit: ESPN.com
Jonathan Quick
At the beginning of the 2021-22 season, Jonathan Quick split time with Cal Petersen. That was until Quick established himself as the Kings number one goalie late last year, ending the season with 2,686 minutes of playing time ahead of Peterson’s 2,177.
The 15-year veteran finished the regular season with a 23-13-9 record and posted a .910 save percentage and a 2.59 Goals Against Average.
Quick saw the bulk of his starts down the stretch and was one of the main reasons the Kings reached the playoffs for the first time in four years. Quick also started all seven playoff games against the Edmonton Oilers. The 36-year-old seemed to turn back the clock, but can he sustain it?
Next year, Quick will be in a good position following his impressive season to maintain his starter status, but the pressure will be on. Can this motivation to be the primary starter be enough to hold the rejuvenated play of the Kings’ veteran goalie?
The 2022-23 season will be Quick’s last year of a ten-year contract extension he signed back in 2012. As much as this hurts to write, the reality is that this upcoming season may be Jonathan Quick’s final one as an LA King.
If he puts up similar numbers and plays close to the way he did towards the end of last year, he may be driven to receive a contract extension from LA or someone else (although it’s strange to even think of Quick in another jersey).
The 2022-23 season will answer many questions regarding Quick’s status, and this upcoming year will be interesting for both him and the team.
Cal Petersen
The 2021-22 season was supposed to be the year Cal Petersen took control of the starting position and established himself as the LA Kings’ goalie of both the present and the future.
However, like Quick, Petersen struggled to be consistent throughout most of the regular season. Quick was able to find his game late in the year and kept playing at a high level for a prolonged period of time. On the other hand, Petersen never found a stretch of consistent outings where he forced the coaches to keep playing him. He seemed to have two good games, followed by one or two mediocre performances.
This often unpredictable style did not go far in creating a sense of confidence in his starting ability. His underwhelming stats also added to the understanding that Petersen was not ready for his new role.
Petersen finished 2021-22 with a 20-14-2 record, a .895 save percentage and a 2.89 Goals Against Average.
However, expectations will grow for the 27-year-old Iowa native heading into next season when he enters his first year of a three-year 15 million dollar contract extension.
Cal Petersen will need to step up his game for the organization to believe he is earning his new paycheck. Without any goalie prospects that look like they can make an impact at the NHL level, he will be looked at as the future of the franchise in goal.
But first, Petersen will have to shore up his game to prove he has what it takes to become this LA King’s #1 goalie. It will be no easy task with the revival of his competition in a newly energized Jonathan Quick. This future-friendly competition (somewhat mirroring last year) between Quick and Petersen will hopefully allow both to elevate their games, and the real winners will be the entire Kings organization.