The Los Angeles Kings and Columbus Blue Jackets officially completed their blockbuster trade. Los Angeles is acquiring Vladislav Gavrikov and Joonas Korpisalo in exchange for Jonathan Quick, a conditional 2023 first-round draft pick and a 2024 third-round pick.
We've acquired defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov and goaltender Joonas Korpisalo from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for goaltender Jonathan Quick, a conditional first-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, and a third-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.#GoKingsGo
— LA Kings (@LAKings) March 1, 2023
The conditions of the first-round pick are as follows:
If the Kings qualify for the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Blue Jackets will acquire the club’s first-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. If the Kings do not qualify for postseason play, the Blue Jackets will acquire Los Angeles’ second-round picks in the 2023 and 2024 NHL Drafts.
Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff was the first to report this blockbuster deal that happened in the middle of the night.
As Seravalli noted this morning, Jonathan Quick was not happy with the trade as it happened after the Kings 6-5 shootout win over the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday night. Not to mention, Quick was on the plane ride home with his teammates.
Quick is flying back to Los Angeles with the Kings tonight. Woof.
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) March 1, 2023
Originally drafted 72nd overall, in the third round of the 2005 NHL Draft, Quick was the backbone of the Kings two-Stanley Cups in 2012 and 2014 winning the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2012.
While he is not the same goalie as he used to be, Quick had a rebound season last year, helping the Kings to playoffs and almost pulling off the upset of the Edmonton Oilers.
This season with LA, Quick has a record of 11-13-4 with 3.50 goals-against average and a .911 save percentage. Quick has played in 743 regular season games recording a 2.46 GAA and .911 save percentage with 57 shutouts.
In 92 playoff games, Quick has a record of 49-43 with a 2.31 GAA and .921 save percentage.
Quick’s name had been in the rumor mill as a goalie contending teams could potentially add at the deadline. It appears he will not be staying in Columbus that long as Pierre LeBrun of TSN reports.
Blue Jackets will try to quickly explore the market before Friday's deadline to see if there's interest on a playoff team for pending UFA Jonathan Quick. Which has has been communicated to the veteran goalie, and well, no doubt would be a desirable outcome for him.
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) March 1, 2023
Dave Pagnotta of the Fourth Period followed up by saying that in terms of real dollars and what is owed to Quick is not that much and Columbus could retain 50 percent if he was dealt to another team.
Of note on Jonathan Quick: His cap hit is $5.8M but he’s making $2.5M in salary this season. The actual dollars owed at this point in the season are minimal. Could #CBJ retain 50% of that and flip him to a team like Toronto, Pittsburgh or Vegas? They’ll try.
— David Pagnotta (@TheFourthPeriod) March 1, 2023
As Seravalli noted and LeBrun confirmed, Quick was not happy about the trade out of Los Angeles, where it will be the tandem of Pheonix Copley and Joonas Korpisalo guiding the Kings to the playoffs and beyond.
If Quick does not get traded and does not want to complete the season in Columbus, the Kings could face a recapture penalty according to Puck Pedia.
If*** Quick decided to retire instead of finishing season, #LAKings would face a recapture cap hit of $785K next season.
To trigger recapture, Quick would need to actually retire & not receive the remaining $595K salary this season, which seems unlikelyhttps://t.co/Yz725BjQhP
— PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) March 1, 2023
You can understand why LA made the decision to trade Jonathan Quick. It was based on performance. But with months left on his contract and the way it was handled, more has to go into that decision. It will be interesting to see where things go. But it doesn’t sound like he will report to Columbus.
little clarity on Quick's short term status from CBJ GM, never definitively said he will report to Jackets.
— Dennis Bernstein (@DennisTFP) March 1, 2023
Los Angeles got a defenseman. Maybe not the guy they wanted as they had been tied to Jakob Chychrun for months now. However, Gavrikov is a good defenseman that can fit into the Kings top four.
Vladislav Gavrikov, traded to LA, is a top four defenceman. Generally speaking he's had pretty good if inconsistent numbers but this season's been a bit tougher. His skillset is mostly defensive. #GoKingsGo pic.twitter.com/cVZkYddFsk
— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) March 1, 2023
In his NHL career, Gavrikov has 73 points (15 goals and 58 assists).
Like, Quick, Korpisalo’s name was out in the rumor mill. He was the odd man out in Columbus. This season with the Blue Jackets, he has a record of 11-11-13 with a 3.13 GAA and a 9.13 save percentage.
Korpisalo’s career numbers are similar with a lower GAA of 3.05 and a save percentage of .903. He guided the Blue Jackets to an upset victory over the Maple Leafs in 2020 and set a new record for most saves in a playoff game in a loss to Tampa Bay in the following round that year.
