After playing just one game in the NHL last season and only eight the year before, 33-year-old Phoenix Copley was placed on waivers by the Los Angeles Kings this week. He's now been claimed by the Tampa Bay Lightning.

TB claims Pheonix Copley from LA
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) October 2, 2025

The Kings had signed Copley to a one-year contract of $775,000 earlier this summer, and were hoping to slip him back through waivers to join the Ontario Reign of the AHL once again, but it wasn't to be, as the Lightning have stepped in to nab some insurance in the crease.

The 33-year-old had a 2.49 goals against average and a .904 save percentage in 42 regular-season appearances with the Reign last season. His biggest run in the NHL came with LA in the 2022-23 season, when he appeared in 37 games, posting a .903 Sv% and 2.64 GAA.

Overall, across the past three seasons with the Kings, Copley had appeared in 46 games, posting a 28-7-5 record with a .897 Sv%, a 2.75 GAA and two shutouts.

The Kings are set in goal with Darcy Kuemper and Anton Forsberg as their tandem between the pipes.

Copley claimed off waivers by Lightning as insurance behind Vasilevskiy and Johansson

For the Lightning, starting goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy is still recovering from an undisclosed injury that has kept him out of action during training camp. Although he rejoined the team for practice this week, it's not yet known whether he will start either of the team’s final preseason games. They still hope he'll be ready to start the regular season in one week.