The Ontario Reign have signed goaltender Erik Portillo to an amateur tryout contract (ATO), the team announced on Monday.
Portillo, 22, spent the past three seasons at the University of Michigan, helping the Wolverines advance to back-to-back Big Ten Tournament championships and Frozen Four appearances.
Portillo was originally drafted by the Buffalo Sabres’ organization in the third round of the 2019 NHL Draft. The LA Kings acquired his rights on March 1 in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.
The 6-foot-6, 225-pound netminder collected a .908 save percentage and 3.00 goals-against average in 38 games as a junior this past season. He struggled in Michigan’s 5-2 loss in the NCAA national semifinal to Quinnipac, the eventual champions, making 25 saves on 30 shots after finishing the month of March without a loss in six games.
Erik Portillo with a snare! pic.twitter.com/3LSgbewZbx
— Michigan Hockey (@umichhockey) March 12, 2023
As a sophomore, Portillo accumulated a .926 save percentage and a 2.14 goals-against average to go along with three shutouts, going 31-10-1 in 42 games. The Gothenburg, Sweden native was recognized for his efforts, named a Mike Richter Award semifinalist, given to the nation’s top goaltender and the NCAA Regional’s Most Outstanding Player.
In three seasons in Ann Arbor, Portillo finished with the third-best save percentage (.918) and seventh-most wins (60) in program history.
Prior to joining Michigan, he played for the USHL’s Dubuque Fighting Saints, collecting a .915 save percentage and a 2.11 goals-against average and one shutout in 27 games. He was recognized as the USHL’s Goaltender of the Year.
Portillo is expected to be with the Ontario Reign when they travel to Coachella Valley on Wednesday night, with puck drop set for 7:00 pm PT.