The Los Angeles Kings have acquired the rights to goalie Erik Portillo from the Buffalo Sabres for a 2023 third-round pick.
We have acquired a third-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft from the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for the rights to goaltender Erik Portillo. pic.twitter.com/Tj3qsSDbbl
— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) March 1, 2023
Portillo is a 22-year-old goalie prospect who was originally selected by the Buffalo Sabres in the third round of the 2019 NHL Draft. He was born in Sweden and played there until his draft year. The 6’6 netminder made the transition into North American hockey when he played the 2019-20 season for the Dubuque Fighting Saints in the USHL.
In 27 games there, he earned a record of 19-5-1 with a 2.11 and .915. The following year he joined the University of Michigan, playing seven games there and earning a .935 SV%. Portillo has been playing for U. of Michigan for the last three seasons and has a combined record of 54-21-3 there.
The Sabres owned his rights prior to the trade but he would have hit unrestricted free agency. The Sabres did not appear to be interested in signing Portillo.
Portillo will presumably be signed by the Kings in the near future and perhaps make a professional debut sometime this season. There has recently been a lot of commotion in the Kings’ crease. Jonathan Quick was sent east to Columbus and Joonas Korpisalo is now a King.
Currently, the Kings have a goalie depth chart consisting of Korpisalo, Pheonix Copley, Cal Petersen, and Matt Villalta. It will be a challenge for Portillo to break into the Kings crease. He will likely play for the Ontario Reign in the AHL next season.
There is a chance he won’t sign with Los Angeles and he’ll return to U. of Michigan for a fourth season there. At 22 years old, Portillo still has a long way to go before he sees any NHL action but he has the pedigree to potentially be a solid pro goalie down the line.