Portillo has opportunity to break through with Kings

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- Erik Portillo is ready for his first full year as a pro in the Los Angeles Kings organization.

The 22-year-old goalie is preparing for the next step after three seasons at the University of Michigan, playing with and against some of the NHL's top prospects. Some of Portillo's collegiate teammates included Seattle Kraken center Matty Beniers, who won the Calder Trophy as NHL rookie of the year last season, and Buffalo Sabres defenseman Owen Power, who was third in the voting.

"You see Beniers and [Columbus Blue Jackets forward] Kent Johnson and all these guys, Owen Power, they all do really well in the NHL right now, so their skill is obviously up there," Portillo said during Kings development camp earlier this month. "So, to be able to fight against those guys in practice and compete against them is awesome."

Portillo went 60-22-3 with a 2.49 goals-against average and .918 save percentage in 87 NCAA games, helping Michigan win the Big Ten tournament and reach the Frozen Four in each of the past two seasons.

Kings senior director of player development Glen Murray said he isn't qualified to break down Portillo's technical aspects, but having played 1,009 games in 16 seasons as an NHL forward, Murray knows enough to appreciate how Portillo approaches the game.

"I watched him closely a few times, and he doesn't give on the 2-on-1s or (when) the forwards get to fire pucks," Murray said. "He's a competitive guy, so it's a good trait to have."

Portillo decided to turn pro at the end of his junior season at Michigan but elected not to sign with the Sabres, who selected him in the third round (No. 67) in the 2019 NHL Draft.

Los Angeles acquired Portillo in a trade with Buffalo for a third-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft on March 1.

Portillo said he was glad to join Los Angeles because of his friendships with Kings forwards Kevin Fiala and Samuel Fagemo.

Portillo has known Fiala, 27, for nearly a decade; they have the same strength coach and participate in summer workouts together.

Portillo and Fagemo, 23, grew up together in Gothenburg, Sweden, and played against one another in youth hockey before becoming teammates at the junior and international levels.

"Honestly, we played each other when we were starting out because he's about 30 minutes away from where I live," Portillo said. "Yeah, we've just been very close friends always."

What went unspoken but had to be equally appealing to Portillo is the Kings depth chart at goalie after trading Jonathan Quick to the Blue Jackets on March 1, ending his 16-year tenure in Los Angeles that included winning the Stanley Cup in 2012 and 2014 and the Conn Smythe Trophy as most valuable player of the playoffs in 2012.

The Kings will go into the 2023-24 season with goalies Cam Talbot, Pheonix Copley and David Rittich each on a one-year contract.

Portillo is likely to play this season with Ontario of the American Hockey League, but isn't putting any expectations on himself for where he could be after that.

"You know, I think I'm coming in pretty open-minded," he said. "Everything is new, so I think I'm just going to work as hard as I can and do everything in my power to get the chance and do as well as I can."