UPDATE: The Kings have in fact placed Quick on injured reserve, per a team release. Quick is thus likely to miss at least a week with the injury. In a corresponding move, L.A. has recalled Budaj from the AHL.
One of the biggest fears for Los Angeles Kings fans would be an injury to their superlative goaltender Jonathan Quick and now the veteran has been deemed day-to-day with a lower-body injury after getting injured in practice Saturday, according to Fox Sports’ Jon Rosen. Quick was not at practice today as Jack Campbell and goaltending coach Bill Ranford covered practice.
Rosen adds Campbell, a Michigan native, is expected to start in goal today against Detroit and the team is expected to recall a goaltender from the Ontario Reign of the AHL shortly. The team has 36-year-old veteran Peter Budaj there as well as prospect Cal Petersen as potential call-ups. The team departs Monday for a four-game road trip through Winnipeg, Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto. There is no word on whether Quick will join them.
Fans remember that Quick suffered a groin injury during their season opener in 2016 and went to miss more than half the season, crippling their season as they failed to make the playoffs without his presence for much of the season. The team has already suffered numerous injuries early in the season as Dustin Brown is expected to miss time with a broken finger, while Jonny Brodzinski is also on injured reserve after undergoing shoulder surgery. Rookie Gabe Vilardi is also an injured-non roster player due to a back injury.
As a Kings fan since the 70’s, anything longer than a week or two is a season ended
Ender
can budaj come in like he did and do what he did before???
As we are seeing early on the season, and have seen for years now… it isn’t goaltending/defense that cripples this team… it’s a complete lack of speed and creating sustained offense. Budaj, Bernier, Jones, Bishop, etc etc…. all backup goalies who had relative/good success in the kings system because of above average defense. The problem is, and has been, terrible offense.
Another year of 90 or so points and early playoff exit due to lack of balanced scoring (and speed).