Ontario Reign sign goaltender Erik Portillo to an amateur try-out (ATO)
As of today, the Ontario Reign have officially signed University of Michigan goaltender Erik Portillo to an amateur try-out.
We've signed @umichhockey goaltender Erik Portillo to an ATO! Welcome aboard the #ReignTrain, @ErikPortillo20!
— Ontario Reign (@ontarioreign) April 10, 2023
The good news for Portillo comes a short four days after the Wolverines’ loss to Quinnipiac, who would go on to win the 2023 National Championship for the first time in school history. In his final collegiate game, the 6-foot-6 netminder made 25 saves, but also allowed four goals en route to a 5-2 loss.
Now Erik Portillo is one step closer to NHL ice with his amateur tryout on the Ontario Reign.
As of two days ago, the Reign clinched a playoff spot, meaning both the NHL and AHL teams have clinched the playoffs. When Portillo does get the nod from Head Coach Marco Sturm, his final game could be an important postseason game, similar to the collegiate ice hockey tournament he just completed. The Reign only have three regular-season games left before the beginning of the postseason.
The #ReignTrain are IN, Next Stop: PLAYOFFS pic.twitter.com/tsRImB52aH
— Ontario Reign (@ontarioreign) April 8, 2023
Ontario is slated to take on the Abbotsford Canucks in the first round of the Calder Cup Playoffs in a best-of-three series. High-intensity games between two organizations that don’t particularly like each other all that much.
Erik Portillo will now share the crease with fellow netminders Matthew Villata and Cal Petersen. Once his ATO is completed, he would be eligible to sign an entry-level contract with the Los Angeles Kings and could become a Black Ace for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
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