The future of LA Kings goaltending - Martin Jones and Jonathan Bernier

[Kershaw]

Martin Jones:

Jones is a large netminder that covers a lot of the net with both size and solid athleticism. Is good at puck control and gives up few rebounds.

Jones had a very sucessful first pro season with the Kings AHL affiliate after signing a deal with them the previous summer. How did this player get undrafted?!! Jones went on to rack a .924 Save Percentage and was named as an all star for the AHL. He is what most would consider a blue chip goalie prospect.

Jonathan Bernier:

Bernier is a hybrid stand-up and butterfly goaltender with great reflexes, is very quick moving from post-to-post with tremendous puck-handling skills around the net. He plays big in big games – except his performance in the 2006 CHL Top Prospects game, wherein the young goaltender allowed six goals on 31 shots in 32 minutes of work. He is occasionally prone to get agitated in net when facing intense traffic, but generally manages to keep a level head.

Bernier has been labeled as the savior and goalie of the future with the Kings. He was brought up in 2007-08, but clearly wasn't ready to handle NHL pressure and was sent back to Junior. He was later recalled by the Kings AHL affiliate and played very well down the stretch for them. Following that, he has two full AHL seasons under his belt with two all-star appearances. He finally got his shot as a full time backup to Jonathan Quick and I fully expect him to get in 30 or more games to give Quick some rest.

The question is, will the Kings anytime soon move these players due to their goalkeeping logjam (of course it's a good situation to be in) And who projects to become a more impact NHLer? Can any of these overtake Quick any time soon?

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[Krnage]

Quick

 

[Sticks and Pucks]

I believe Quick will still be their guy and eventually the Kings could form a package involving Bernier and Forbort to get a star player that would make them the favourites to win the Cup somewhere down the road.

 

[King'sPawn]

Quick and Bernier are on contract for a combined cap hit of $3 million for two more years (Quick will be a UFA and Bernier will be an RFA in 2013). I'm pretty sure the Kings want to know how both pan out during that time to see which one they want to move; at which point Jones, hopefully with some time in the AHL as the starting goaltender, will then be able to come up and act as the back-up role for whoever stays.

The Kings were also very lucky not to have Quick sustain a serious injury last season; not only is there very little urgency to move a very cap friendly contract, but if the Kings did trade one and the remaining one got injured, they would have uncertainty in net.

So the shorter answer is... I don't think the Kings are actively shopping any of their goaltenders. Not saying they won't be traded, but I think they like having goaltending solidified the way they have.

 

[Leviathan]

I would have said that the Kings would keep Bernier and send Quick packing at some point (even if he had brought them success) but after seeing them trade Schenn I'm not so sure. They seem to have reached the end of their tether in LA and are sick of being the perennial up and comers. They will ride Quick who is the goalie of now and the future (knock on wood), and probably use one or both as trade bait. Though, they might take the Vancouver model and try to go with a Luongo-Schneider-esque combo as long as they can.