LA Kings: Cal Petersen Ready to be No. 1 Goalie
Cal Petersen entered the 2021 season expected to share goaltending duties with long-time netminder Jonathan Quick. The 26-year-old native of Waterloo, Iowa, signed a three-year contract in 2019 with the LA Kings and the expectation from both himself and the organization was that Petersen was “the goalie of the future.”
In 35 games played this season, Petersen posted a 9-18-5 with a .911 save percentage and a 2.89 GAA. Even though he did have a losing record, the team defensive play in front of him this season was, for the most part, not good. He also wound up playing in more games than Quick – although, in all fairness, Quick did miss time at the end of this season due to injury.
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With this as a backdrop, Petersen was asked during Friday’s exit interview if he feels that next season is the season he takes over as the LA Kings number one goalie.
“I mean, I think that’s the goal,” the Kings netminder said. “I mean I think every single game that I play, I’m hoping to build confidence in the guys around me. With the coaching staff to have me in there and I think it’s just every day trying to be the best, and obviously coming to the NHL, I want to be a number-one goalie. I want to be the guy to win games.”
2021-22 will be the last season of his current contract, which carries an AAV of $858,333. Judging from the quotes, Petersen is obviously a “team-first” kind of player and one who wants to take his career to the next level. It will be next season that he looks to not only cement himself as the goalie of the future but also the goalie of the present.
Petersen was asked by Zach Dooley from the LA Kings Insider about the wear and tear of this season’s condensed schedule with fewer off nights in comparison to the AHL. His response was a nice insight into the mindset of an NHL goaltender this season.
“I would say it’s a challenge,” Petersen admitted. “You know, I think it was a challenge for everybody in a condensed schedule. It’s just hard, you know, whether it’s a good game, it’s a bad game. It’s a good thing where you have another chance to turn around and prove yourself and get back on track. At the same time, that’s one of those things you have to learn to shake off every performance and be able to come to the ranch with a new mindset and be ready to win hockey games, but there’s definitely challenges.”
Despite the challenges of this NHL season, Cal Petersen’s not quite ready to go into the offseason yet. He was recently selected to represent Team USA at the IIHF World Championship tournament. Lisa Dillman from The Athletic asked him how he felt about it.
“Yeah, it’s a huge honor,” Petersen beamed. “Again, it was a very easy ‘yes’ for me. I think anytime you have [a chance] to represent your country, and play for Team USA. I don’t see any real reason I’m turning that down so I was extremely excited [and] honored to get asked and really looking forward to playing with some teammates and having a signifcant role on the team and hopefully come back.”
Dillman also asked him about his offseason plans and whether he will be staying in Southern California or going home.
“I must spend a lot of time back in the midwest, haven’t seen my family all year so that’s been challenging,” Petersen added.
As to his timetable to return to Southern California?
“You know, a month or so before the season to get back,” the netminder concluded.
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After a trip to Riga, Latvia, to represent his native country at the 2021 IIHF World Championship, Petersen will take a much-deserved break to finally see his family and friends. It will then be back to Los Angeles to continue his goal of being the undisputed number one goaltender for the LA Kings.