Anton Forsberg Deserves the Net as Kings Chase Playoff Berth
anton forsberg has forced the Los Angeles Kings to reconsider the crease at a critical moment in their playoff chase. In Los Angeles on Monday, he stopped 29 of 31 shots in a 3-2 shootout win over the Nashville Predators and gave the Kings a timely lift. With the standings tightening, the question now is whether the next start should go to anton forsberg again instead of Darcy Kuemper.
Forsberg’s latest start changed the conversation
The Kings needed a result in a game that carried real weight, and anton forsberg delivered it. He was sharp through regulation and steady in the shootout, helping Los Angeles take a win that keeps its postseason push alive.
The timing matters. The Kings are in a stretch where every game can shape the race, and Forsberg’s performance came when the team could least afford a slip. That is why the internal goalie picture has shifted so quickly.
Kuemper began the season strongly, but his recent form has not matched that pace. Since returning from Milan, he has posted an. 870 save percentage, and in his last three games he has allowed 15 goals on 70 shots. Forsberg, meanwhile, has a. 900 save percentage in 10 games since the NHL returned to action.
Anton Forsberg and the Kings’ immediate crease decision
Interim coach D. J. Smith now faces a direct decision for Thursday’s game against the Vancouver Canucks. The schedule also includes a home game Saturday against the Edmonton Oilers, then a back-to-back next week in Seattle and Vancouver where both goalies can get work.
Forsberg said after the win that he would be ready for whatever comes next. “I’ll play whenever they tell me to play, ” he said. He also said, “Obviously, both me and Darce want to play as much as possible. We’re there to support each other. That’s a part of a team. And when one plays, the other guy works hard. Work on his game. We take it day by day. ”
That team-first tone matters, but the numbers and the recent eye test have made the case harder to ignore. Forsberg has been more reliable lately, and in a playoff chase, reliability can become the deciding factor.
Why the Kings may lean on Anton Forsberg again
Forsberg’s appearance Monday was only his third since March 21. One of those came in a third-period mop-up role after Kuemper gave up five goals on 16 shots. His previous start was a 2-1 overtime win over the Blues on April 1, when the Kings split a back-to-back between the two goalies.
That pattern is telling. Even with rest built into the schedule, the Kings turned to anton forsberg in a game that mattered most, and he responded.
Kuemper remains the more established name in the crease, and he was selected for Team Canada at the Winter Olympics after a strong run that included a career-low 2. 02 goals-against average in 2024-25 and a. 916 save percentage before his December injury in 2025-26. But recent form is the issue now, not reputation.
If the playoff berth comes down to the regular-season finale in Calgary, the Kings may be forced to make the same choice again. For now, the clearest read is simple: anton forsberg has earned the next look, and possibly more.
