It appears it may be Darcy Kuemper's time to shine.
With goaltender Antti Raanta set for an extended absence following surgery Sunday, the Arizona Coyotes will now look to Kuemper to carry the load between the pipes.
"Obviously with Antti out, (Kuemper is) an important piece for us moving forward. I think he's shown to be one of the best backups in the league," Coyotes general manager John Chayka told team reporter Dave Vest.
"Any time there is an injury there is opportunity. There will be an opportunity for him to get an extended look, and he'll get that opportunity to show that he can be a starter in the league."
Chayka added that the Coyotes will not recruit goaltending help while Raanta recovers, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun.
However, Kuemper needs to return from an injury of his own before he can show his stuff as the starter. The 28-year-old has missed the last seven games with a lower-body ailment and is considered day to day.
Kuemper owns a 4-5-2 record and .914 save percentage across 11 games this year.
In his absence, Arizona has turned to farmhand Adin Hill, who has come away with four wins and a .939 save rate across seven games.
The Coyotes also have Calvin Pickard as an option. The former Philadelphia Flyers netminder was claimed off waivers in late November but has only filled in as the backup since arriving in Arizona.
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