Pheonix Copley

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Pheonix Copley
Pheonix Copley 2023.jpg
Copley with the Los Angeles Kings in 2023
Born (1992-01-18) January 18, 1992 (age 32)
North Pole, Alaska, U.S.
Height 6 ft 4 in (193 cm)
Weight 196 lb (89 kg; 14 st 0 lb)
Position Goaltender
Catches Left
NHL team
Former teams
Los Angeles Kings
St. Louis Blues
Washington Capitals
NHL draft Undrafted
Playing career 2014present

Pheonix Copley (born January 18, 1992) is an American professional ice hockey goaltender for the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL).

Contents

Playing career

USHL and college

Undrafted, Copley played in the United States Hockey League (USHL) with the Tri-City Storm and Des Moines Buccaneers before committing to play collegiate hockey with Michigan Tech of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA). At the conclusion of his sophomore season, Copley opted to turn professional, agreeing to a two-year, entry-level contract with the Washington Capitals on March 20, 2014. [1]

St. Louis Blues and Washington Capitals

Copley was assigned to AHL affiliate, the Hershey Bears, to begin his first full professional season in 2014–15. In sharing the crease, he impressed with the Bears, earning 17 wins in 26 games. In the off-season, Copley was included in a trade, which also included Troy Brouwer and a third-round pick in 2016, to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for T. J. Oshie on July 2, 2015. [2]

In the 2015–16 season, Copley made his NHL debut with the Blues in relief in a defeat to the Nashville Predators on February 27, 2016. [3]

During the 2016–17 season, on January 20, 2017, Copley was recalled from the Chicago Wolves of the AHL by the Blues. [4] He made the first start of his NHL career on January 21 against the Winnipeg Jets, [5] where the Blues lost 5–3. [6] After he was returned to the Wolves, on February 27, 2017, Copley was traded back to the Capitals in a deadline trade along with Kevin Shattenkirk in exchange for Zach Sanford, Brad Malone, a 2017 first-round pick, and a conditional second-round pick in 2019. [7] Copley was called up to the NHL during the Capitals' 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs run and although he did not play during the playoffs, he stayed with the team as they won the 2018 Stanley Cup. [8]

Copley made the Capitals opening-night roster to begin the 2018–19 season. [9] He recorded his first NHL win in a 4–3 shootout win over the Calgary Flames on October 27, 2018. [10] He spent the 2019–20 and 2020–21 seasons with the Hershey Bears, where he earned the Harry "Hap" Holmes Memorial Award with Zachary Fucale for the 2020–21 season's best save percentage. [11]

Los Angeles Kings

As a free agent following the 2021–22 season, Copley signed a one-year, $850,000 contract with the Los Angeles Kings on July 13, 2022. [12] After Kings goaltenders Cal Petersen and Jonathan Quick struggled at the start of the 2022–23 season, the Kings called up Copley from the AHL in December 2022. [13] Copley would quickly establish himself as the team's starting goaltender, becoming just the fifth goaltender in franchise history to win seven games in a row. [14]

During the 2023–24 season, Copley played in eight games before sustaining an injury during practice on December 15, 2023, and was then placed on the long-term injured reserve list two days later. [15] On January 6, 2024, it was announced that he would not return during the season due to ACL surgery. [16] [17]

Personal life

Copley was born on January 18, 1992, in North Pole, Alaska, [18] to parents Peter Copley and Mary Sanford. [19] His older brother Navarone also plays ice hockey. [20] At a young age, his family moved to Ohio so his father could pursue an advanced degree. Eventually, his parents divorced and Mary, Navarone and Pheonix moved back to Alaska. [19] In honor of his birthplace, Copley has candy canes on his goaltender mask. [21]

Career statistics

Regular season Playoffs
Season TeamLeagueGPWLT/OTMINGA SO GAA SV% GPWLMINGASOGAASV%
2009–10Southern California TitansNAPHL106114292203.08.871
2010–11 Corpus Christi IceRays NAHL 42142342,37616504.17.880
2011–12 Tri-City Storm USHL 2591301,4517623.14.905
2011–12 Des Moines Buccaneers USHL2071111,1636003.09.909
2012–13 Michigan Tech WCHA 2481511,3227133.22.900
2013–14 Michigan TechWCHA30101361,7247212.51.911
2013–14 South Carolina Stingrays ECHL 3210147803.26.90610170302.58.923
2014–15 Hershey Bears AHL 2617431,5205532.17.925531229701.83.946
2015–16 Chicago Wolves AHL37151632,0889732.79.909
2015–16 St. Louis Blues NHL 100024102.50.833
2016–17 Chicago WolvesAHL2515621,4525612.31.920
2016–17 St. Louis BluesNHL101059505.09.828
2016–17Hershey BearsAHL1611509203302.15.9319545341912.13.933
2017–18 Hershey BearsAHL41151762,18410622.91.896
2018–19 Washington Capitals NHL2716731,5297412.90.905
2019–20 Hershey BearsAHL3117861,8687722.47.905
2020–21 Hershey BearsAHL1510419024022.66.896
2021–22 Hershey BearsAHL35181252,1148422.38.913312184702.29.929
2021–22 Washington CapitalsNHL201097503.11.878
2022–23 Ontario Reign AHL116416302602.48.913
2022–23 Los Angeles Kings NHL3724632,0909212.64.90210029204.26.750
2023–24 Los Angeles KingsNHL84124362313.16.870
NHL totals76441684,23420032.83.89910029204.26.750

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References

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  2. "Blue acquire Brouwer from Capitals". St. Louis Blues. July 2, 2015. Retrieved July 2, 2015.
  3. Stanley, Robby (February 27, 2016). "Forsberg hat trick lifts Predators past Blues". St. Louis Blues. Retrieved April 20, 2016.
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  5. "Copley will start against Winnipeg". National Hockey League. January 21, 2017.
  6. "Little scores twice, Jets beat Blues 5–3". The News & Observer. Winnipeg, Manitoba. The Canadian Press. January 21, 2017. Retrieved January 24, 2017.
  7. "Capitals acquire defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk from Blues". The Washington Post . February 27, 2017. Archived from the original on February 28, 2017. Retrieved February 27, 2017.
  8. Joyal, Brad (June 11, 2018). "North Pole goaltender Pheonix Copley reflects on Stanley Cup win". Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. Retrieved October 27, 2018.
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  10. Vickers, Aaron (October 27, 2018). "Copley gets first NHL win, Capitals edge Flames in shootout". NHL.com. Retrieved October 27, 2018.
  11. "Hershey's Copley, Fucale Win AHL's Harry "Hap" Holmes Memorial Award". OurSports Central. May 18, 2021.
  12. "Kings sign Pheonix Copley and Tobie Paquette-Bisson". Los Angeles Kings. July 13, 2022. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
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  14. "NHL Morning Skate – Jan. 4, 2023". NHL.com. Retrieved February 3, 2023.
  15. Jablonski, Jack (December 18, 2023). "The Week That Was, The Week That Is - 12/18". NHL.com. Retrieved January 8, 2024.
  16. "Copley out for season for Kings following ACL surgery". NHL.com. January 6, 2024. Retrieved January 8, 2024.
  17. Stephens, Eric (January 6, 2024). "Kings goalie Pheonix Copley out for remainder of season after ACL surgery". The Athletic. Retrieved January 8, 2024.
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  19. 1 2 Willhite, Lindsey (December 19, 2015). "GOALTENDER PHEONIX COPLEY: MAN OF STEELY DETERMINATION". Chicago Wolves. Retrieved June 15, 2021.
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