LA Kings Make Multiple Transactions
The LA Kings announced the following roster transactions on Thursday morning.
• Defenseman Tobias Bjornfot, goaltender Pheonix Copley and forward Samuel Fagemo have been recalled from the Ontario Reign (AHL).
• Forward Rasmus Kupari and defenseman Jordan Spence have been loaned to Ontario.
• Goaltender Cal Petersen has cleared waivers and been loaned to Ontario.
Bjornfot, 21, opened the 2022-23 season with the Reign, posting three points (2-1=3) and a plus-3 rating in 17 games. Last season, the 6-0, 200-pound defenseman appeared in a career-best 70 NHL games with the Kings and established NHL career-highs in assists (8), points (8) and shots (53). Selected 22nd overall by the Kings in the 2019 NHL Draft, Bjornfot has registered 14 points (1-13=14) in 106 NHL games and added 22 points (8-14=22) with a plus-14 rating in 62 career AHL games with Ontario.
Copley, 30, holds a 6-4-1 record with a 2.48 goals-against average (GAA) and a .913 save percentage (SV%) in his first season with Ontario, ranking tied for seventh in wins and 10th in GAA among AHL goaltenders. The 6-4, 200-pound netminder has appeared in 31 NHL contests with St. Louis Blues and Washington Capitals, posting a 16-9-3 record with a 2.98 GAA, a .900 SV% and one shutout. A veteran of 237 AHL games, the North Pole, Alaska native has posted a 124-76-28 record with 15 shutouts, a 2.52 GAA and a .911 SV% across nine seasons with the Reign, Hershey Bears and Chicago Wolves.
Fagemo, 22, has skated in 15 games with the Reign this season, earning eight points (6-2=8) to lead the club in goals (6) and power-play goals (4) while also ranking fifth in points (8). Last season, the 6-0, 200-pound forward appeared in four contests with the Kings, including his NHL debut on Jan. 13 against Pittsburgh. Selected by the Kings 50th overall in the second round of the 2019 NHL Draft, the Goteborg, Sweden native has registered 70 points (43-27=70) with a plus-9 rating and 44 PIM in 110 career AHL games with Ontario.
Kupari, 22, has split time with the Kings and Reign this season, collecting five points (2-3=5) over 16 NHL games while adding six points (3-3=6) in six AHL contests. The 6-2, 200-pound forward spent the majority of the 2021-22 season with the Kings, tallying 13 points (5-8=13) in 57 games while also adding eight points (5-3=8) in 15 appearances with the Reign. In 80 NHL games, the Kotka, Finland native has posted 19 points (8-11=19) and tallied 45 points (22-23=45) over 80 AHL games.
Spence, 21, has played in 17 games for the Reign this season, recording 16 points (1-15=16) to lead club defensemen in assists (15) and points (16) while ranking second of all team skaters in both categories. Among AHL defensemen, the 5-10, 180-pound blueliner ranks second in assists and shots (58) and fifth in points. Spence made his NHL debut with the Kings last season and registered eight points (2-6=8) in 24 games while leading Kings rookie defensemen in time-on-ice per game (19:45). In his first professional season with the Reign in 2021-22, he posted 42 points (4-38=42) with a plus-18 rating and 28 PIM to lead AHL rookie defensemen in assists (38) and points (42) and earn AHL First All-Star Team and AHL All-Rookie Team honors.
Petersen, 28, has earned a 5-3-2 record in 10 games with the Kings this season, posting a 3.75 goals-against average and a .868 save percentage (SV%). Last season, the 6-2, 185-pound netminder posted a 20-14-2 record with a 2.89 GAA and .895 SV% to establish career-highs in games played (37), games started (35), wins (20), shutouts (3) and minutes played (2,176). In 101 career NHL games, the Waterloo, Iowa native has registered a 44-42-10 record with a 2.92 GAA, .905 SV%, and four shutouts.
Signed by the Kings as a free agent on July 1, 2017, Petersen spent his first three professional seasons with the Ontario Reign from 2017-2020, appearing in 116 AHL games and posting a 53-48-9 record with a 3.32 GAA, .904 SV% and seven shutouts. Twice, he was named to the AHL All-Star Game (2017-18, 2019-20).
The Reign continue their current homestand on Friday night with a matchup against the Colorado Eagles at Toyota Arena at 7 p.m.
Tickets for all Reign home games are available to purchase through axs.com and ontarioreign.com.
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