Late last night, another franchise icon was sent packing. The Los Angeles Kings agreed to trade Jonathan Quick, along with a conditional 2023 first-round pick and 2024 third-round pick to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for Vladislav Gavrikov and Joonas Korpisalo. The deal has now been officially announced, with the conditions revealed.
They’re very simple. If the Kings qualify for the playoffs this year, they will give Columbus a first-round pick. If they miss, they will owe second-round picks in 2023 and 2024.
The move must be bittersweet for Kings fans, who have cheered on Quick for more than a decade. On the one hand, the team is shipping out the most successful goaltender in franchise history, the backbone of its two Stanley Cup teams and winner of the 2012 Conn Smythe trophy. On the other, Quick’s performance had declined significantly this season, and the club is poised to make a serious playoff run if they can improve the goaltending.
Through 31 appearances this season, Quick has a save percentage of just .876, easily the worst of his career. The uber-athletic goaltender has seemed a step behind the play, and can’t seem to string together multiple good starts. In his last appearance as a King, he allowed three goals on seven shots before being pulled less than halfway through the game.
Still, this is a goaltender that has more than twice as many wins as the next-best in Kings history. Quick’s 370 career wins not only dwarves second-place Rogie Vachon’s 171, but put him 19th on the all-time NHL list. Despite never winning a Vezina Trophy (his closest came in 2012 when he finished second), Quick has a decent chance of reaching the Hall of Fame eventually as one of only 17 goaltenders to win the Conn Smythe. Add in an Olympic silver medal and two Jennings trophies, and it was a pretty productive career for the 2005 third-round pick.
The Kings are focused on this season, though, and bringing in two players to help them compete in the playoffs.
Gavrikov, 27, has been talked about for months, and was moved out of the lineup by Columbus for two weeks before they eventually moved him. The big, rangy defenseman can contribute in many ways, and could find even more success playing on a Kings blueline that can give him more support. With the Blue Jackets, he was likely asked to do too much, playing more than 22 minutes a night as their most reliable option, once Zach Werenski went down to injury.
Korpisalo is perhaps the more interesting addition, though, if only because he has caught fire of late. The 28-year-old goaltender has a .911 save percentage on the season, but that number rises to .916 if you look at his last ten, in which he has lost in regulation just three times. Those may not sound like earth-shattering numbers, but on a Columbus team that is one of the worst in the league, they are encouraging.
The Blue Jackets are getting not only two significant draft picks, but also an asset in Quick that might have some extra value. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic tweets that Columbus will check around to see if they can flip the veteran goaltender to a contending team.
At the very least they come away from another deadline with a first-round pick. Gavrikov was expected to test the free agent market, while Korpisalo was likely on his last legs with the team, as they prepare to turn over that roster spot to Daniil Tarasov.
Wow, great trade by Blake
The sarcasm is thick on this one.
What a way to end a very succesful career. :/
… what contending team would WANT Quick? Guy’s only had one good season in the last five, and he’s an old man carrying a salary few teams can fit.
Jackets will definitely have to retain and maybe even take back a bad contract to get positive value. Colorado, Dallas, and Winnipeg could use a better backup?
Good question! Quick’s deal is up at the end of the season, does he even find suitors to play one more year? If so, at what discount price? And would anyone want him as a true #1, or even as a #1A? That 2012 Conn Smythe was over a decade ago.
Leafs I’m sure would be interested if Columbus takes back Murray.
I can’t imagine any team taking a flier on him, honestly. Quick’s had a fine career, but he’s been done for a long time now. Even at league minimum, he’d just be blocking the way of some young goaltending prospect to show what he can do.
Both GMs did the impossible— unpopular yet totally appropriate moves that moves them forward. LA are serious contenders now in a wide-open west, while Columbus are grabbing the brass ring in the Bedard derby… I just hope they (& the Blackhawks) fall short.
Blake definitely won this trade not sure Columbus was thinking with their return
They got 2 or 3 good picks for two pretty average rentals. I think it’s pretty good for Columbus.
Hahahaha!
He’s Quick to get angry, but apparently doesn’t understand the job of a GM to make his team better. Play well and you’d get to stay…
Great move by the Kings. Wonder if they can still possibly get Chychrun
Why not? The Kings didn’t have to trade a single prospect from their deep and overloaded pool to get their LHD and starting goalie. The only chip they’ve dealt that the Coyotes wanted was the ‘23 first-rounder.
that 1st was their best draft asset. plus they can’t trade either of their next two 2nd rounders since those are tied up in this trade’s conditions.
hard to believe the coyotes don’t want a 1st. how many 1sts are the kings willing to give up this week?
Went from asking for a 1st and 3rd for Gavrikov alone to Gav + Korpi + taking back a bad contract. Guess it’s better than getting nothing but it feels like they could have gotten more if Jarmo would have moved Gav earlier before teams went with other options and then moving Korpi in a separate move. I also think they should have gone after already drafted prospects since they already have a bunch of guys in the system and whoever they draft will be a few years behind, though I guess we’ll see if they get Bedard that’ll determine what their timeline winds up being.
While this hurts as a Kings fan, as Quick single-handedly brought the team it’s first Stanley Cup, I understand. It’s a sad day but I have to hand it to Blake. This is a trade that makes the team better as they head towards the playoffs. They needed goaltending, last nights game was a clear example. I know that Blake probably tried to trade Peterson instead but Columbus didn’t want him either.
Quick will absolutely have his number retired by the Kings and end up in the HOF. If I’m not mistaken, and please correct if I’m not, he’s the winningest goaltender in US hockey history. 19th all time is HOF worthy by itself. I look forward to it. GKG!
Quick is four wins shy of tying John Vanbiesbrouck for second among U.S.-born goalies in NHL history. Ryan Miller is first with 391. Had to correct myself.
Good deal and the Kings gain cap space on this! Blake may have another deal! Columbus will probably flip JQ and retain 50% as his cap hit is $5.8 mil and actual money is only $2.5 mil. Best of luck to JQ who was the best Kings goaltender in history!
I don’t see a market for Quick. We gained 2m n cap space to go along with the 3 we already had. Let’s go shopping
Not sure why Quick was so shocked by the move, He’s 36, Completely ineffective, Remember, If you have 3 goalies you have none, The Kings have a good team and the only thing missing is competent goaltending, Quick has to realize the NHL is a business not a nostalgic fest.
How do we really know if he was really shocked?
Worse than the Fleury trade don’t @ me.
Blake should not be done yet…
surprised most are thinking the kings easily won this trade. that’s a lot of draft capital to potentially give up for two players that can leave in free agency. I imagine they feel with a good showing they could resign Korpisalo but Gavrikov is not a game changer.
And a low-round first rounder isn’t really a “lot of draft capital.” More first rounders are busts than otherwise, and no more than half the round in any given year is a serious impact player. Third round picks are, of course, crap shoots.
Kings get a 3rd paring defenseman who was playing top pairing minutes, but is still a 3rd pairing defenseman and an average at best goalie. Both are expiring contracts, yeah Blake got fleeced!