Kings Acquire Gavrikov, Korpisalo From Blue Jackets; Mark End of Era By Trading Quick
While most hockey fans were asleep Tuesday night, the Los Angeles Kings completed a massive trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets, acquiring defenceman Vladislav Gavrikov and goaltender Joonas Korpisalo.
The deal addresses a pair of needs for Los Angeles, shoring up the club’s blue line and goaltending position. But in doing so, it marks the end of an era for the franchise, with netminder Jonathan Quick included in the package sent to Columbus.
Along with Quick, Kings general manager Rob Blake surrendered a conditional 2023 first-round pick and a 2024 third-round pick in exchange for Gavrikov and Korpisalo. If Los Angeles – sitting tied for first in the Pacific Division at 34-20-8 with 76 points – misses the playoffs this season, the conditional first-rounder becomes a pair of second-round picks in 2023 and 2024.
Additionally, neither team is retaining any salary in the trade, saving the Kings $404,000 against the salary cap, according to PuckPedia.
Quick’s departure from the organization was a major surprise to most, particularly those inside the Kings’ locker room. Though the 37-year-old’s numbers (3.50 GAA, .876 SV%) haven’t been great in 2022-23, the last thing anyone expected was to see him traded.
On the ice, meanwhile, Los Angeles overcame multiple two-goal deficits on the road against the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday, forcing the game beyond regulation. The Kings ended up victorious in the shootout, coming away with a 6-5 win.
But once players returned to the dressing room, the team learned about the deal with Columbus, which meant they had to say their goodbyes to Quick. In-season trades are always the toughest on teammates, but it’s even worse when it involves a franchise icon.
Quick, in the final season of his 10-year, $58-million contract, was a third-round selection by the Kings in 2005 and spent almost 16 NHL seasons with the franchise. He leads the organization in wins (370), saves (18,188), GAA (.246), SV% (.911) and shutouts (57).
The Milford, Conn., native was a crucial member of Los Angeles’ 2012 and 2014 Stanley Cup victories, earning the Conn Smythe trophy as playoff MVP during the franchise’s first championship in ‘12. He was an All-Star in 2011-12 and is a two-time winner of the William M. Jennings Trophy (2014, 2018).
Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen issued a press release shortly after the Gavrikov-Korpisalo trade became official, expressing his thoughts about acquiring Quick and trading two valuable skaters.
“Jonathan Quick is a two-time Stanley Cup winner who has been an outstanding goaltender in our league for a long time and this deal provides us with draft capital that will be valuable as we move forward as an organization,” Kekalainen said. “It’s never easy to trade players like Vladislav Gavrikov and Joonas Korpisalo as they have been exceptional Blue Jackets but given our current position these moves were in our club’s best interest. They are wonderful individuals, and we will always appreciate the contributions they made while they were here.”
The Kings also joined the conversation, crafting a tribute post in Quick’s honour via social media, thanking the legendary goaltender for his efforts.
“On the biggest stages… Under the brightest lights… You performed like no other. The ultimate teammate… The fiercest competitor… A legacy that will never diminish.”
“Thank you, Jonathan.”
Quick’s tenure with the Blue Jackets might not last very long as the team is reportedly attempting to find the veteran netminder a new home with a playoff contender. Columbus is believed to have communicated its intentions to the former King and hopes to find a resolution by Friday’s trade deadline.
But, according to Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli, Kekalainen may have already located a potential suitor: the Vegas Golden Knights.
Rookie Logan Thompson has operated as Vegas’ No. 1 goaltender in 2022-23, posting a 2.66 GAA and a .914 SV% across 36 games. Adin Hill has seen his fair share of action, making 24 appearances, with a 2.52 GAA and a .912 SV%.
Quick can become an unrestricted free agent after this season, leading many experts to believe he may consider retiring over the off-season.
-Thomas Hall
Twitter: @ThomasHall85
Photo: mark6mauno. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.