DARCY KUEMPER, COLORADO AVALANCHE
At 31, the former Arizona Coyote might seem a little long in the tooth for a hobby breakthrough. But the truth is, he's been preparing for this moment his whole career. Acquired by the Avs in exchange for defenseman Conor Timmins, Colorado's 2022 first-round pick and a conditional third-round selection in the 2024 NHL Dra, Kuemper is a bona fide top-tier netminder, and more than capable of helping Nathan MacKinnon and company take the next step in the postseason. He's proven himself one of the top goalies over the last three seasons, ranking third in goalsagainst (2.35) and save percentage (.922). And he did that while playing behind an Arizona defense that bled high-quality scoring chances. Kuemper was limited to 27 games last season by an MCL injury but proved his readiness for 2021-22 by appearing in eight contests for Team Canada at the 2021 World Championships. He posted a 5-2-1 mark, with a 2.17 GAA and .916 save percentage at the tournament, highlighted by a 29-save performance as Canada clinched gold with a 3-2 overtime win against Finland. “I feel great right now,” he said. “Fortunately, I was able to come back and finish the season and then go to world championships so I'm confident in (my knee). I'm having a great summer of training, so I'm just excited to get the season started.” Standing 6-foot-5 and weighing in at 215 pounds, Kuemper brings the size, the athleticism, and the leadership ability that could get the Avs over the hump. Collectors likely will play a waiting game to see what he achieves in the playoffs, but they might not want to hedge their bets too long. His cards are bargains at the moment thanks to the relatively low profile he kept while playing for playoff outsiders in Minnesota, Los Angeles, and Arizona. He has 17 RCs to choose from at a variety of value points. Curiously, Kuemper is limited to an autograph-only /249 RC in 2013-14 the Cup (#100), so collectors might focus on his Panini National Treasures RC (#147). £is well-designed card offers a jumbo patch swatch and a hard-signed auto to go along with a print run of just 99 copies. It's worth noting that just three of these cards have been slabbed to date between BGS and PSA, hinting at plenty of opportunities down the road.