Where the goaltending depth chart stands entering the 2022 NHL Draft

The LA Kings have their goaltending duo set, at least for next season. The question is who is next?

Without anyone proving themselves as the next young starter for the Kings, the hunt is on to see if anyone of these young goaltenders rises to the top for contention for that future No. 1 spot.

The goaltending depth chart is filled with plenty of potential, but which goaltender, if any, outshines the others?

Goaltending

Jonathan Quick

Let us start with the No. 1 goaltender of the Kings, Jonathan Quick. Most people thought this was his time to sit back, mentor, and play fewer games.

Well, he proved us wrong.

Quick, once again, showed that age means nothing and proved that he is still at the top of his game. He bailed the Kings out of some tough situations and stole wins with his style of play. With the defense pairings ever-changing, Quick had to adjust with rookies and others playing in front of him.

He led the Kings in just about every statistical category for goaltenders. Quick faced scenarios where the defense left him out to dry and used his instincts to keep the puck out of the net. During his 2021-22 season, Quick registered a record of 23-13-9, with a GAA of 2.59 and a save % of .910 in 46 games.

Quick is not ready to say goodbye to the Kings’ net just yet. With one more year left on his current deal, the future Hall of Famer wants to win another one.

Cal Petersen

Petersen was projected to be a starter this year, and for the first half, he looked good between the pipes. The second half was a struggle for Petersen, and he could not get his game back. At age 27, Petersen needs to find his game if he still wants to take the starting job away from Quick.

He still has potential, but time may be running out for him to get most of the games in the crease. He played 37 games with a record of 20-14-2 with a 2.89 GAA and a .895 save percentage.

Whether he is appointed the starter or not, he has to earn it. His numbers have to improve if he wants the organization to believe he has starter qualities.

Matt Villalta

Ontario Reign netminder Matt Villalta was good for the most part last season. For the Reign, he played 46 games and posted a record of 28-10-10 with a 2.98 GAA and a .903 save percentage.

The Reign faltered in the playoffs, so he will have to be sharper next season. He struggled at times last season, and those struggles could be worked on this off-season and into training camp.

David Hrenak

Ontario netminder David Hrenak impressed during his short stint with the Reign, but he is still very raw. He looked good in his pro debut but still needs to feel comfortable and adjust to the pro game style. During the 2021-22 season, he split time with St. Cloud State of the NCAA and the Reign.

With St. Cloud State, he played in 31 games and compiled a record of 16-11-4 with a 2.26 GAA and a .914 save percentage. He played in three games with the Reign with a 1-1 record, a 1.81 GAA, and a .951 save percentage.

Jacob Ingham 

Jacob Ingham could be ready for training camp after recent knee surgery. Although he has yet to make an impact for the Kings, though, he is still very young and raw. Ingham played well in spurts but is not yet ready to make the jump.

Last season, he split time between Ontario and the Greenville Swamp Rabbits of the ECHL. With Greenville, he posted a 9-5-2 record with a 2.79 GAA and a .909 save percentage. In five games with the Reign, he had a record of 2-2-1, a GAA of 4.29, and a .861 save percentage.

Ingham could still be a viable goaltender if he fully recovers from surgery and gets some starts. If he can maintain a steady workload at a high level and show the organization he can play, then he could spot start in Ontario.

Lukas Parik

Lukas Parik had a very good 2021-22. He split time with Ontario and the ECHL Rapid City Rush. Parik was impressive last season and showed why he belongs at a higher level.

With Rapid City, he posted a record of 14-8-8 with a 2.69 GAA and a .915 save percentage in 32 games. With Ontario, he played in five games, posting a 3-0-1 record, a 3.77 GAA, and a .891 save percentage. Parik is ready to take the next step and, depending on what happens with Villalta, could be ready for that Reign starters job and a full season in the AHL.

Juho Markkanen 

Juho Markkanen will not be making his pro debut for the Kings organization until at least the 2025-26 season as he signed a 3-year deal with SaiPa of Liiga to start to play this upcoming season. He looks for a more promising season as he struggled last season, going 1-10-1 with a 3.27 GAA and a .861 save percentage in 15 games.

John Lethemon

Lethemon is another goaltender in the Kings system that had a good 2021-22 season. During his stop in Ontario, he played two games and registered a 2-0 record, 2.01 GAA, and a .931 save percentage. He also played with Greenville of the ECHL, going 15-11-6 with a GAA of 2.69 and a .911 save percentage.

While the future is up for grabs for Lethemon, he is a talented goaltender with some good years ahead of him. Although 25 years old, he could still find a starter job in the right situation.

Garrett Sparks

Garrett Sparks surprised us all last season by playing two games for the Kings last season. Although he was not in Los Angeles that long, he recorded a 1-0 record with a 1.85 GAA and a .936 save percentage. He played well but was sent back to Ontario, where he posted a record of 5-5, a 3.25 GAA, and a .896 save percentage in 12 games.

It looks as though Sparks could be the odd man out with the traffic jam of goaltenders. If he remains with the Kings organization, he will be in Ontario with the Reign.