Solar Bears alumnus Darcy Kuemper wins Stanley Cup

ORLANDO, Fla. — Former Orlando Solar Bears goaltender Darcy Kuemper and the National Hockey League’s Colorado Avalanche claimed the Stanley Cup with a 2-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 6 of the 2022 Stanley Cup Final on Sunday at Amalie Arena.

Kuemper, 32, wrapped up his 11th season of professional hockey and his 10th season in the NHL. He posted a record of 10-4 in 16 appearances this postseason with a 2.57 goals-against average, a save percentage of .902 and one shutout to help guide the Avalanche to their third Stanley Cup championship in franchise history and their first since 2001. Kuemper became the first goaltender in NHL history to record an assist in overtime of a Stanley Cup Final game when he assisted on Nazem Kadri’s game-winning goal in Game 4 of the series.

During the regular season, his first with Colorado, Kuemper went 37-12-4 in 57 outings with a 2.54 GAA, a save percentage of .921 and five shutouts.

Kuemper was assigned to the Solar Bears during the 2012-13 season by the Minnesota Wild and appeared in three contests for Orlando, going 0-2-1 with a 2.61 GAA and a save percentage of .929. That same season, he became the first developmental player in Solar Bears history to reach the NHL when he debuted with the Wild on Feb. 12, 2013 at Vancouver.

In 299 career NHL games with Minnesota, Los Angeles, Arizona and Colorado, Kuemper has posted a record of 143-95-36 with a 2.48 GAA, a save percentage of .918 and 25 shutouts.

The Saskatoon, Saskatchewan native was originally a sixth-round selection (161st overall) by the Minnesota Wild in the 2009 NHL Draft.

The Solar Bears and the Stanley Cup:

Chad LaRose (2016-17) – Carolina, 2006John Curry (2012-14) – Pittsburgh, 2009*Christopher Gibson (2013-14) – Tampa Bay, 2021*Darcy Kuemper (2012-13) – Colorado, 2022

* Member of Cup-winning team’s “Black Aces” – did not have name engraved on Cup