LeBrun’s Latest: Budaj, Trouba, Hanzal
When the Los Angeles Kings lost not just Jonathan Quick but Jeff Zatkoff as well in the span of a few days, panic immediately set in for a franchise known for its excellent goaltending over the years. Even with Peter Budaj, an experienced NHL netminder coming in to start, the team was looking everywhere to find some help in net. That might have come to an end, says Pierre LeBrun in his latest column, as Budaj has performed extremely well and Zatkoff is back from injury. The team has stopped looking for help and is at least somewhat comfortable with the Budaj/Zatkoff tandem for now.
Budaj, the AHL goalie of the year in 2015-16, has posted a .912 save percentage and 2.06 GAA in ten games, including a shutout of the Calgary Flames on Saturday. The former Colorado and Montreal netminder has a ton of NHL experience over the years, and at 34 is still playing well enough to help the Kings. Zatkoff will likely figure in a bit more as the season stretches on, though he does have much less experience.
- Even though Jacob Trouba has signed on for two years and said that he’s ‘committed’ to the Winnipeg Jets, doesn’t sway LeBrun from thinking he’ll eventually be dealt. Though head coach Paul Maurice has said he’ll use Trouba in a variety of situations in order to keep him involved, the conviction that led to his holdout can’t possibly have all dissipated at this point. Trouba still wants to be a top pairing blueliner on the right side, something that simply won’t happen in Winnipeg, at least not right now.
- It’s an open competition in Colorado now, as the net will be shared between Semyon Varlamov and Calvin Pickard. Though Varlamov came into the season as the clear No. 1, the younger Pickard has played extremely well and forced himself into the conversation. A .946 save percentage even if it is just a few games. With the Avalanche going after a playoff spot this year, they can’t afford to wait for Varlamov’s game to come around.
- When you turn your calendar over to February in a few months, make sure you make a note to watch for Martin Hanzal rumors. LeBrun feels as though the Coyotes center – who’s injured at the moment – is an easy pick for a deadline deal. An unrestricted free agent at season’s end, he’s always had the talent to change a game. Health has always been a factor for Hanzal though, who just can’t seem to stick in a lineup for a full year. LeBrun believes that the Coyotes would need a young player, and not just picks, in return.
Snapshots: Kovalchuk, Sabres, Kings
Could former NHL star Ilya Kovalchuk be looking to follow in Alexander Radulov‘s footsteps next summer?
KHL analyst Aivis Kalniņš believes Kovalchuk wants to return to the NHL. The Russian sniper retired from the NHL back in 2013 in order to play in the KHL after 11 seasons in North America. He was just three seasons into a controversial 15-year, $100MM contract when he retired.
Kalniņš reported that CSKA has begun contract talks with former NHLers Kovalchuk and Viktor Tikhonov; while Tikhonov is considered close to an extension, Kovalchuk is not. It’s a similar situation to Radulov, in that CSKA attempted to sign him but he chose to leave money on the table to give the NHL another go.
Whether or not the NHL allows Kovalchuk to return is another question. Because he signed his voluntary retirement papers, all 30 NHL teams would have to approve the move. It’s unlikely that 29 teams would approve a competitor’s bid to sign a former consistent 30-plus goal scorer.
- Brayton J. Wilson of WGR 550 in Buffalo reported a hard-to-believe stat about the Sabres. With their win over Minnesota, the Sabres are now 4-3-2, or one game over 0.500. Wilson reported that this is the first time the Sabres have been over 0.500 since the third game of the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season. That’s 299 games ago, and a sign of the harsh realities of being a struggling franchise in the NHL.
- After being shut out for the third consecutive game, Los Angeles Kings coach Darryl Sutter told reporters his message to the team was “there’s nobody coming in on a white horse to play goal for us or score goals or to come up [from the minors].” The Kings have approximately $1MM in salary cap space, despite placing the injured Jonathan Quick on LTIR. While Quick’s injury does give them some space in the interim, that would go away when he returns in three months, which rules out trading for Jaroslav Halak and likely Ondrej Pavelec too.
Jeff Zatkoff Suffers Injury; Jack Campbell Recalled
According to Lisa Dillman of the Los Angeles Times (via Helene Elliott), goaltender Jeff Zatkoff has suffered a lower-body injury at practice, and will be unable to play against the Vancouver Canucks tonight. The team has recalled Jack Campbell to take his place on the roster for the game.
With Jonathan Quick already on the shelf for months, any injury in the Kings’ crease weakens their cause even further. Peter Budaj will likely be in net tonight against the Canucks, but the 34-year old hasn’t been an effective NHL starter in years now. For a team who is still in win-now mode, the defense will need to tighten up even further for the next few days at least. As Jon Rosen of FOX Sports reports, Zatkoff’s groin ‘tightened up’ after stopping a shot in practice. While it may not be a major injury yet, groin injuries often linger longer than initially expected.
Campbell, a former 11th overall pick by the Dallas Stars, has never been able to establish himself in the NHL. The 24-year old split the last two seasons between the AHL and ECHL, where he found mixed results. If Zatkoff stays on the shelf for very long, the Kings will need a combination of Budaj and Campbell to keep them competitive. The team sits at 1-3-0 through four games, and sixth in the Pacific Division.
LeBrun’s Latest: Lindholm, Fowler, Murray, Fleury, Condon
Earlier today we referenced an item regarding the status of the Jacob Trouba trade discussions in Pierre LeBrun’s recent Rumblings column on ESPN.com. As it turns out, LeBrun covered a number of other worthwhile topics in his piece, which should naturally be read in its entirety. But in the meantime, we’ve got several of the highlights for your reading pleasure.
- There’s been a lot of talk of late regarding the potential availability of Ducks defenseman Cam Fowler, in large part due to the team’s need to re-sign RFA Hampus Lindholm and Anaheim’s precarious salary cap situation. As it stands, the Ducks have less than $400K in space according to Cap Friendly. With Lindholm expected to receive in excess of $5MM annually on a new deal the team certainly has their work cut out for them. Dealing Fowler would clear $4MM in cap space, assuming of course they don’t take an NHL contract back in any trade. Anaheim also has Brandon Montour and Shea Theodore, both of whom appear to be NHL-ready, or close to it, and that could step into the vacancy should the club move Fowler – or any other defenseman for that matter. LeBrun, however, doesn’t believe trading Fowler is a “front-burner issue” and believes the club could keep Fowler. He suggests Anaheim could create some salary cap space and buy more time by placing Simon Despres on LTIR. Despres has been out since leaving the team’s first game with what is believed to be a concussion. Despres accounts for $3.7MM against the cap so the Ducks would likely have to make at least one more move to create enough space once Lindholm is re-signed.
- Speaking of Lindholm’s contract talks, LeBrun believes the two sides continue to move closer on a new pact, with the defenseman likely using the recent extensions inked by Seth Jones and Rasmus Ristolainen – six years, $5.4MM AAV – as a comparable and the Ducks possibly countering with Morgan Rielly – six years, $5MM AAV. A six-year deal would buy out two of Lindholm’s potential free agent seasons, whereas the Jones and Ristolainen contracts only bought out one. That likely serves as justification for Lindholm’s pursuit of something more than $5.4MM annually.
- Matt Murray‘s recent extension with Pittsburgh shines the light on the decision the team will have to make ahead of next June’s expansion draft. LeBrun notes the team believes Marc-Andre Fleury‘s NMC will force the Penguins to protect him, assuming he’s still on the roster. Assuming the Penguins decide Murray is their long-term answer between the pipes, the team would still have several options, as LeBrun writes. In addition to the NMC, Fleury’s contract contains a modified no-trade clause which allows him to list 18 teams to which he would accept a trade. The Penguins could attempt to move him to one of those clubs to whom the goalie would agree to go to. Or the Penguins could buy out Fleury’s contract after the season. Pittsburgh also might try to work out a separate deal with the Las Vegas franchise ensuring they don’t select Murray if the team is required to protect Fleury. The scribe did say he doesn’t believe the team has decided on a course of action as of yet. Whatever they decide, however, LeBrun believes the team will make sure Fleury is on board as they “greatly respect” their longtime #1 netminder.
- Once Murray returns from injury, the team is likely to waive goalie Mike Condon with the intent of sending him down to the AHL. LeBrun believes he could be claimed and one interested party could be the Kings. With Jonathan Quick out for up to three months, Los Angeles may eventually look for a short-term upgrade between the pipes and they might conclude Condon fits the bill. Condon’s contract expires at the end of the season and currently makes just $575K. LeBrun suggests that Pittsburgh could call up the Kings and offer Condon in a trade with the idea that adding a late round draft pick would be better than losing the young goalie for nothing on waivers.
Potential Short-Term Replacements For Quick
With Jonathan Quick set to possibly miss 3 – 4 months due to a groin injury, the Kings are for the time being expected to ride it out with internal options Jeff Zatkoff and Peter Budaj manning the net. But the Kings are well within their window of Stanley Cup competition and with several of their key players – Anze Kopitar, Jeff Carter, Marian Gaborik and Alec Martinez – already or nearing 30, and the team may not want to let the season get away should the Zatkoff/Budaj combo struggle between the pipes. In that case L.A. could visit the trade market to look for a short-term solution.
The Kings have little in the way of cap space, according to Cap Friendly, with just around $1.5MM available. They could add $5.8MM if they place Quick on LTIR, should they choose. But with Quick under contract for six seasons beyond this one, it’s likely the club elects to stick with less expensive options or, at the very least, limit their search to goaltenders in the final year of their deals. Within these parameters, here are a few goaltenders who could be made available by their current team and who might prove to be of interest at some point to the Kings.
Ondrej Pavelec – He was waived by Winnipeg at the end of the regular season and after going unclaimed, was assigned to the Jets’ Manitoba AHL affiliate. Pavelec’s only above-average NHL season came during the 2014-15 campaign when he posted a Save % of 92.0% and allowed a GAA of 2.28. That’s the only season in the last five Pavelec has posted a Save % above 90.6% or a GAA lower than 2.78. He is in the final year of his contract and set to earn $2.95MM; a figure the Kings could find reasonable enough for a stop-gap solution. NHL reporter Brennan Klak agrees with the premise the Kings don’t want to commit much in the terms of money or term, and mentions Pavelec as a hypothetical option.
Ryan Miller – Miller is expensive, $6MM cap charge, but has a solid track record of success at the NHL level and like Pavelec, is in the final season of his deal. It’s possible, if the Kings can tread water in the interim, their interest increases as the trade deadline approaches and the team can better afford that cap hit. If the Canucks find themselves on the outside looking in at the playoffs, they could field offers for the veteran netminder. This would likely represent a worst-case scenario in that it assumes Quick wouldn’t be ready to return at the end of four months.
Thomas Greiss – Greiss had a good year with the Islanders in 2015-16 and when Jaroslav Halak went down with an injury late in the season, the German goalie guided New York into the second round of the playoffs. Greiss is in the final year of a deal that comes with a cap hit of just $1.5MM, and would represent a low-cost option on an expiring contract. The Islanders chose to keep three netminders on the roster to begin the season, likely out of fear that Jean-Francois Berube would have been claimed on waivers. It’s feasible they could take a reasonable offer for Greiss and commit to Berube and Halak for the rest of 2016-17.
Scott Wedgewood – The Kings could have had Wedgewood for just the cost of assuming the remaining season and $587.5K left on his contract but of course Quick was healthy when Wedgewood was available on waivers. It seems apparent the Devils still value Wedgewood’s potential but with Cory Schneider and Keith Kinkaid holding down the top two spots in New Jersey, it’s conceivable they could entertain offers for the 24-year-old goalie. Wedgewood has little NHL experience – four starts – but would represent a low-cost, low-risk flier for the Kings.
Jonathan Quick Could Be Out 3-4 Months
Per a tweet from Sportsnet’s Daren Millard, Los Angeles Kings goalie Jonathan Quick will be out for the next 3-4 months due to a severe groin injury. This is significantly worse news for the Kings as only earlier in the day, general manager Dean Lombardi wouldn’t speculate on the injury. Lombardi indicated that it was in the same area as his last major injury–one that kept him out for two months. Millard added in his tweet that the injury could require surgery. Nick Kypreos adds that Quick will be looking at every option before deciding on “rehab options.”
After placing him on injured reserve, Quick was initially seen as being week to week. Clearly, it’s much worse. Quick was hurt on what appeared to be a routine save in the first period during the Kings 2-1 loss to San Jose Wednesday night.
The focus now turns onto who the Kings will rely on without their #1 option available. Adam Gretz of NBC Sports writes that the Peter Budaj/Jeff Zatkoff duo will have to do for now as the Kings have little wiggle room within the salary cap to find a #1 goalie elsewhere. Kypreos also said the Kings will most likely search internally for a solution before “looking elsewhere.”
Pacific Notes: Quick Update, Brouwer, Despres, Sharks
Los Angeles GM Dean Lombardi provided a brief update on Jonathan Quick’s injury situation on Friday. At this time, Quick and the team are still consulting with doctors with regards to the best way to proceed, reports Jon Rosen of LA Kings Insider. Lombardi is hoping a decision in that area is made sooner than later and at that time, the team will know more about how long he’ll be out instead of the current week-to-week designation.
A few years ago, Quick suffered a groin strain that caused him to miss two months of action. While Lombardi didn’t specify that this is another groin issue, he did indicate that the injury is in the “same area”.
In the meantime, Jeff Zatkoff will take over as the interim starter and will get the nod tonight in their home opener against Philadelphia. Veteran Peter Budaj will serve as the backup.
More news and notes from the Pacific Division:
- While he has been with Calgary for all of one game since joining the team in July, Flames right winger Troy Brouwer has been a vocal presence both on and off the ice, notes Wes Gilbertson of the Calgary Sun. Accordingly, the team has named him one of their alternate captains, making him just one of four players to wear a letter after changing teams in the offseason. Brouwer had a strong debut with Calgary, picking up a goal while playing just over 16 minutes.
- Anaheim defenseman Simon Despres may be dealing with another concussion, notes Eric Stephens of the OC Register via Twitter. Speaking with reporters regarding the Rickard Rakell contract, GM Bob Murray noted the plan is to have Despres meet specialists and that something is wrong that they need to get to the bottom of. He added that this latest problem was not the result of a hit or a fall.
- The San Jose Sharks have assigned top prospect Timo Meier to the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda, the team announced. He has been dealing with mononucleosis and is still likely a little while away from returning to game action. Last season, he had 34 goals and 53 assists in 52 games in the QMJHL. The Sharks recalled right winger Dan Carpenter from their farm team. Carpenter led the Barracuda in scoring last season with 55 points in 66 games and got into one game with the big club.
Jonathan Quick Out Indefintely
Update (8:00pm): Kings GM Dean Lombardi announced this evening that the team has placed Quick on injured reserve (Twitter link). In a related move, the club has called up veteran goalie Peter Budaj from Ontario of the AHL. Budaj, 34, brings 297 regular season games of NHL experience to the table and has shown to be a competent backup. It appears as if the Kings will have to rely on the duo of Zatkoff and Budaj indefinitely until Quick returns.
(9:17am): Los Angeles goaltender Jonathan Quick sustained a lower body injury late in the first period of their 2-1 loss to San Jose on Wednesday night. While there is no immediate timetable for his return, Lisa Dillman of the LA Times notes that GM Dean Lombardi believes the injury may keep him out for a while. Quick will undergo an MRI later today to determine the extent of the problem. In the meantime, he has been placed on injured reserve and the team is saying he will be out week-to-week.
In the meantime, offseason acquisition Jeff Zatkoff – who replaced Quick to start the second period last night – will take over as the interim starter. However, his NHL experience is limited to just 34 regular season appearances coming into the season while he has yet to appear in more than 20 contests in any single NHL campaign. As a result, he is more suited to backup duty than a starting workload.
The Kings have a couple of options in their system to recall in the meantime. Veteran Peter Budaj is the most likely to be recalled while former Dallas first rounder Jack Campbell is also under contract but has yet to have much success at the minor league level.
[Related: Kings Depth Chart]
The team has a bit of cap space to work with should they want to go outside the organization to supplement their goaltending depth while Quick is on the shelf. The team has a little more than $2.1MM in cap space per Cap Friendly and also have Marian Gaborik eligible for LTIR if the team needs to open up some more room although that would only be a short-term solution.
*Glen Miller contributed to this post.