Los Angeles Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick gets closer and closer to a return, reports LA Kings insider Jon Rosen. Quick took to the ice in full gear this morning for the first time since injuring his groin midway through the season opener. He’s spent the last four months recovering off-ice, respecting the injury and wary of progressing too fast. Kings GM Dean Lombardi has gone back and forth on a planned return date, at times stating early March or mid-February. Having Quick on ice in full equipment by February 1st is right on schedule, at least according to Kings coach Darryl Sutter.
Quick’s injury initially spelled doom for the Kings as the organization had no viable backup ready to take the reins. They had signed former Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Jeff Zatkoff—who was relegated in Pittsburgh to a third-string role after Matt Murray’s surprise success—but his play quickly indicated that he was not ready for the starting role.
Luckily for the Kings however, veteran Peter Budaj stepped up and manned the crease admirably. Budaj is putting up the best numbers of his career this season. In 44 games Budaj is 24-14-3 with a .922 SV% , a 2.01 GAA, and 6 shutouts. Not bad for a goaltender on the brink of retirement. Budaj’s performance has kept the Kings in playoff contention, and Quick’s return could solidify its ticket down the stretch.
Budaj’s strong performance also allowed Quick to rehabilitate properly and not rush back to action too soon. Groin injuries are incredibly tricky for goaltenders as they rely heavily on lateral side to side movement. Ensuring that Quick is 100% before starting him significantly reduces the chances of him relapsing.
I’m really, really happy for Budaj. Always loved having him as a backup in Montreal and felt bad when they jettisoned him for Tokarski.