Reflecting On Three Seasons Without a Kings Legend

It's time for a little blast from the past.

Quick was dealt to the Columbus Blue Jackets with a conditional first-round pick in 2023 and a third-round pick in 2024 for defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov and goaltender Joonas Korpisalo. Within a few days of the trade, Quick was traded again, but this time to the Vegas Golden Knights, which worked out for him as he was able to parade around with the Stanley Cup by the end of the season. Quick then signed with the New York Rangers that offseason.

The all-around-athletic goaltender was a Vezina snub in his career (particularly in 2011-12: .929 SV %/ 1.95 GAA/ 10 Shutouts), was part of two Jennings trophies (13-14, 17-18) and is a silver medalist in the 2010 Olympics for the United States.

Speaking of the United States, as of last year, he became the winningest US-born goalie in NHL history. Quick is arguably the greatest American goaltender in the league's history, with two Stanley Cups as a starter, three total, and a much-deserved Conn Smythe trophy in 2011-12.

So why the fallout in Los Angeles? Why the poor play when the Kings, under the second-half vigil of Rob Blake, have become a goaltender's haven of insulation? In 2022-23, he was 11-13-4 before he was traded, with a .876 SV % and a 3.50 GAA. In his career as a King, he averaged a .911 SV % and 2.46 GAA. The Kings at the time were already deploying the 1-3-1 under Todd McLellan, but they also didn't have Gavrikov.

The trade brought Gavrikov to Los Angeles, and he would be the only piece staying in the deal, as Korpisalo would act as the true rental piece. Gavrikov has become the top four, left shot defender the Kings desperately sought out for the onset of two seasons as Blake chased Jakob Chychrun.

The Russian defenseman solidified himself as part of an elite shutdown pairing with Matt Roy for one and a half seasons before truly showcasing his talents this year without Roy as a partner or Drew Doughty in the lineup.

So, while the Kings deployed the 1-3-1 while Quick was still a King, the defense was not as astute as it has been since the trade, with Gavrikov acting as a balancer in the defensive corps. You could argue that Mikey Anderson's growth adds to that conversation as well, as he starts to inch closer to his NHL prime. The Kings system, without these factors, was just not the same goalie-friendly system it currently is.

The move doesn't come without its costs. For years (15 plus, actually), the Kings didn't have to worry about their backend. Management dished out goaltending prospects as if they were candy. Ben Scrivens, Martin Jones, and Jonathan Bernier come to mind, with the latter being an 11th overall pick.

The Kings' crease was stable for over a decade, sometimes being an afterthought due to the security and stability Quick provided. By getting the player in the position they coveted in LHD, they've created a goalie safe haven but also a potential liability in that very crease.

They fostered a reboot for Cam Talbot last year, who got back on track to some of his former numbers when he was excellent in Edmonton and Minnesota. By the end of the last season, Talbot was the best penalty-killing goaltender in the league (per Moneypuck, he led the league with 10.6 Goals Saved Above Expected). They have yet to receive even remotely close dividends from the combination of David Rittich and Darcy Kuemper, with Kuemper coming to Los Angeles due to the souring of Pierre Luc Dubois.

Quick, meanwhile, hasn't been a starter for the Rangers, but he's been excellent behind a yearly Vezina candidate in Igor Shesterkin. Quick has a .912 SV % in two seasons and a 2.61 GAA. LA's goaltending combined this year has a .895 SV % despite the fewest shots allowed per game in the league and the third-fewest goals allowed.

It's not as if Quick had stayed, and a left defensemen was found, that he would have been harnessed back into form. The trade had to be made to stop the bleeding during that season, despite Quick himself being caught off guard. Quick returned to form in New York, but primarily as a backup. The aftermath is that there is less stability in the Kings' crease, though they've committed to Kuemper for the next few seasons (through 2026-27).

The Kings have some stout prospects to monitor in Carter George and Erik Portillo. However, they are realistically a few seasons from being considered to take the mantle up. Their current overall goaltending picture doesn't give the same confidence with the suppression and defensive numbers the team puts up on a nightly basis.

Quick will remain a Kings legend regardless of which team he finishes his career with, which could be soon. His number will be in the rafters, but his legacy of championships and departure of instability of the crease is the narrative the Kings have juggled to date.