On Tuesday afternoon, the Los Angeles Kings placed a double-digit number of players through waivers to assign them to the AHL affiliate Ontario Reign, including veteran goaltender Pheonix Copley.
After spending the past few seasons with the Los Angeles Kings, goalie Pheonix Copley was claimed off waivers by the Lightning in the East
All the players the Kings placed on waivers to assign to the Reign in the AHL in training camp this fall in Ontario cleared the waiver market except for Copley.
It was announced on Wednesday afternoon (Oct. 2) that the Tampa Bay Lightning claimed Copley off waivers.
This news comes less than 48 hours after Copley won a game against the Utah Mammoth in his preseason debut for the Kings, in a 3-2 close victory in clutch time, on Tuesday night (Sep. 30). Copley stopped 24 out of 26 shots from the Mammoth in the Kings' one-goal win over the Mammoth at Idaho Central Arena in Boise, ID, on Sep. 30.
Copley spent three seasons with the Kings' franchise before the Lightning claimed him off waivers late this week on Thursday afternoon. He was a steady and reliable goaltender who provided a veteran presence in the net for the Reign in the AHL this past regular season.
He registered a .904 save percentage, 2.49 goals against average, and a 24-17-1-2 record for the Reign in the AHL in 42 games played this regular season in the 2024-25 campaign.
In three seasons with the Kings in the NHL (since the 2022-23 season), Copley registered a 28-7-5 record with a .897 save percentage, 2.75 goals against average, and two shutouts over 43 starts and 46 total appearances for LA.
Copley has played 77 career games in the NHL over the past decade in the league. He's made multiple starts with the Washington Capitals and St. Louis Blues over the course of multiple years since the 2015-16 season.