Quick Expected to Miss ‘About Three Months’
The Los Angeles Kings expect to be without goaltender Jonathan Quick for about three months, according to general manager Dean Lombardi on Wednesday.
It’s devastating news for a Kings team that has given up 12 goals on the season and lost its first three games. Quick suffered the injury in the season opener against the San Jose Sharks on Oct. 14 and did not return after one period of play.
The injury is thought to be in the same area where Quick strained his groin in 2013 and missed two months, according to the Los Angeles Times’ Lisa Dillman. Quick reportedly could have undergone surgery for his current injury, but opted for a non-surgical procedure on Tuesday.
Was told surgery option likely meant Quick was gone for rest of season vs rough 3-month timeframe this way https://t.co/o8wbW4brex
— Kevin Woodley (@KevinisInGoal) October 19, 2016
Jeff Zatkoff relieved Quick against the Sharks and has posted an 0-3 record with a 4.37 goals against average and an .839 save percentage. He was pulled after two periods and Peter Budaj stopped all nine shots he faced in Tuesday night’s 6-3 loss to the Minnesota Wild.
Quick is currently on the injured reserve and the Kings have said he will not be placed on long-term injured reserve right now.
Canucks’ Miller to Return to Lineup as Back Up
Ryan Miller is set to return to the Vancouver Canucks’ lineup as a back up to Jacob Markstrom when they take on the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday, the Canucks annouced. Miller sat out Tuesday’s game against the St. Louis Blues with tightness he says he feels about 10 times each season, but that goes away with rest.
#Canucks netminder Ryan Miller updates his status after skating earlier today and missing Tuesday's game. pic.twitter.com/9YX0LAr5bg
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) October 19, 2016
The Canucks dressed University of British Columbia goalie Matt Hewitt as Markstrom’s back up against the Blues, but he did not see game action. Markstrom made 23 saves and gave up just one goal in the team’s 2-1 overtime win over the Blues.
The Canucks have given up just five goals against and won all three games to open the season.
Orr Talks About Connor McDavid
Bobby Orr made his NHL debut 50 years ago on Wednesday and sat down with TSN’s Bob McKenzie to discuss his NHL career and the anniversary.
Orr, 68, revolutionized the game as a defenseman with the Boston Bruins and the Chicago Blackhawks and was one of hockey’s first highly touted teenage prospects. Orr is now a player agent and one of his clients is Edmonton Oilers forward Connor McDavid.
During the five-minute interview clip with McKenzie, Orr was asked if he thought he could beat McDavid in a race on the ice in his prime.
Orr said that McDavid would beat him from a stand still, but when a smiling McKenzie asked him about if it would be a little different if it was from around the back of the net, Orr changed his answer some.
“I’d give him a run if I had a little start,” Orr said with a laugh. “But from a standstill — this kid is quick. And with the puck.”
Odds and Ends
— Michael Raffl will miss 10 to 14 days with an upper-body injury, Philadelphia Flyers general manager Ron Hextall said on Wednesday. Raffl, 27, was injured during Tuesday night’s 7-4 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks.
— The Tampa Bay Lightning have recalled defenseman Matt Taormina from the American Hockey League’s Syracuse Crunch and assigned Slater Koekkoek. Koekkoek, 22, made the Lightning’s roster out of training camp but has not dressed in three games to start the season. The move seems to be made as a way for Koekkoek to receive some playing time as head coach Jon Cooper has said he has been happy with the players the team has dressed to open the season.
— Kevin Klein will play his first game of the new season for the New York Rangers against the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday, according to head coach Alain Vigneault.
— The Edmonton Oilers recalled defenseman Ben Betker, the team announced on Wednesday. Betker, 22, played a combined 63 games in the 2015-16 season with the Bakersfield Condors in the American Hockey League and the Norfolk Admirals in the ECHL, but has not played a game with either club in 2016-17.
— The St. Louis Blues placed forward Jori Lehtera on injured reserve with an upper-body injury, the team announced on Wednesday.
