Jon Cooper’s Tampa Bay Lightning and the Los Angeles Kings have seemingly engaged in a game of hot potato. A handful of games into the 2025-26 NHL season, a recent addition to the Bolts is heading back to the Kings.

Phoenix Copley will surely hope he hasn’t lost the number of his real-estate agent in Los Angeles. After being claimed by Cooper and the Lightning off waivers prio to the start of the NHL season, the veteran goalie is headed back to the City of Angels.

“The Kings have acquired goaltender Pheonix Copley from the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for future considerations,” as announced by @LAKingsPR on X (formerly Twitter).

Short-lived stay in Big Guava

While the 33-year-old netminder hoped a change of scenery might re-ignite his NHL career, it simply wasn’t meant to be in Tam

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