Jonathan Quick’s injury will keep him out longer than initially estimated.
Quick suffered a groin injury in the same place he injured it in 2013, last week during the Kings’ season opener against the San Jose Sharks. The 30-year-old slid awkwardly in his crease and labored getting up. He was soon replaced with Jeff Zatkoff.
According to Lisa Dillman of the Los Angeles Times, general manager Dean Lombardi said Quick will be out for “about three months.”
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The news puts a spear through the Kings’ playoff chances. Right now, there’s not a starting goalie in the organization capable of taking over for Quick in the long term. LA will turn to Jeff Zatkoff and recently called up Peter Budaj to cover for the talented netminder. Zatkoff has already struggled in two starts post-Quick injury, allowing nine goals, getting chased in a 6-3 loss against Minnesota on Tuesday. Budaj, meanwhile, doesn’t have a promising track record, nor does he have the ability to be trusted for more than a handful of games – there’s a reason he was in the AHL.
The Kings will be in trouble unless a transaction softens the blow of losing Quick. What’s out there for the taking? Is Ondrej Pavelec really an above replacement level goalie? Is there a goaltender with proven starting experience out there? Los Angeles’ season will be under a massive test with Quick out.
