Kuemper turned aside 29 of 34 shots in a 6-3 preseason loss to Utah on Tuesday.
Exhibition action has to be taken with a grain of salt, but it's still not encouraging to see him surrender five goals. Kuemper left plenty to be desired in 2025-26 with a 19-14-15 record, 2.78 GAA and .891 save percentage in 50 regular-season appearances. It's possible he'll bounce back, but he's 36 years old, so at this point, his age is a factor. The presence of Anton Forsberg also means Kuemper has a credible competitor for the top job.