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Jonathan Quick injury update: Kings goaltender week to week

By Dave Stevenson

Jan 9, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Kings goalie Jonathan Quick (32) cools off before the start of the game against the St. Louis Blues at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 9, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Kings goalie Jonathan Quick (32) cools off before the start of the game against the St. Louis Blues at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jonathan Quick will be missing some time thanks to his lower body injury. 

During the Los Angeles Kings’ opening night game against the San Jose Sharks, goaltender Jonathan Quick slipped awkwardly towards the end of the first period. He didn’t return and was listed with a lower body injury. After visiting the doctor and getting an MRI, Quick’s timetable for return is a little more clear. He is “week to week”, according to Lisa Dillman, and will be put on injured reserve.

It sounds like Quick might be able to miss the long term injured reserve list, but he will be out long enough to require a replacement. The Kings will most likely call up veteran goaltender Peter Budaj from the AHL to serve as the backup for Jeff Zatkoff. In 10 NHL seasons, Budaj has a career .903 save percentage. Budaj made one appearance with the Kings last year, stopping 24 of the 28 shots he saw.

Zatkoff did well in relief of Quick after replacing him against the Sharks. The 29-year old goaltender has a career .915 save percentage. He spent the last three seasons with the Pittsburgh Penguins, winning a Stanley Cup with them last season after making two postseason starts.

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Without Quick, the Kings will be losing an extremely reliable and durable goaltender. Quick has made at least 60 appearances in five of his last six full seasons (not including the lockout shortened 2012-13 season). He has won two Stanley Cups with the Kings and has a career regular season save percentage of .916.

Quick is a good goalie, but the Kings should be able to tread water without him. Their defense will be the key to surviving without Quick. They are in very good hands, as their defense consistently ranks among the fewest shots on goal allowed per game. Of course, their offense will likely have to step it up as well. But their defense should be able to keep the Kings in games on most evenings, even with a goalie like Zatkoff or Budaj in net.

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