LA Kings Sign Goaltender Erik Portillo To A Two-Year Entry-Level Contract

The LA Kings have signed goaltender Erik Portillo to a two-year entry-level contract through the 2023-24 season worth an average annual value (AAV) of $875,000.
Portillo, 22, was acquired by the Kings on March 1, 2023, from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. The 6-6, 220-pound netminder recently completed his junior year at the University of Michigan where he posted a 25-11-2 record with a 3.00 goals-against average (GAA) and a .908 save percentage (SV%) in 38 NCAA games to help Michigan to a second consecutive Big 10 Conference tournament championship and a Frozen Four berth. His 25 wins were the second most among Big-10 goaltenders and third among all NCAA netminders.
As a sophomore last year, he led the nation in saves (1,111) while ranking second in wins (31) and minutes played (2499:13), fourth in win percentage (.750) and ninth in save percentage (.926) enroute to a Big 10 Championship. His 31-10-1 record with a 2.14 GAA and .926 SV% earned him Big-10 Second All-Star Team honors, as well as nominations for both the Mike Richter Award and Big-10 Goaltender of the Year. In three NCAA seasons with the Wolverines, Portillo accumulated a record of 60-22-3 with three shutouts, a 2.49 GAA and a .918 SV%.

Originally drafted by Buffalo in the third round (67th overall) of the 2019 NHL Draft, Portillo began his North American career in the USHL with the Dubuque Fighting Saints in 2019-20, where he earned USHL Goaltender of the Year and First All-Star Team honors after registering a 19-5-1 record and one shutout with a 2.11 GAA and a .915 SV%. The Gothenburg, Sweden native represented his native country at the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship, helping Sweden to a bronze medal.
The Kings will host the Edmonton Oilers for Game 4 of their First Round series tomorrow, April 23, at 6:00 p.m. PT at Crypto.com Arena. The game will be broadcast on Bally Sports West TV, the LA Kings Audio Network on iHeartRadio and nationally on TBS.