No surgery for Quick, but still long-term timetable

After meeting with several doctors, Jonathan Quick and the Los Angeles Kings have chosen a course of action that does not include surgery, opting instead for a different “procedure” on Tuesday, according to hockey operations. He remains out long-term and indefinitely, though Lisa Dillman of the LA Times spoke with Kings General Manager Dean Lombardi, who provided a rough three-month timeline.

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

The hockey operations source confirmed that the injury is to Quick’s groin and that the team will not be placing the goaltender on long term injured reserve, which carries a mechanism that would allow the Kings to recoup nearly all of Quick’s $5.8-million cap hit, at this time. That’s a possibility at some time in the future, but the team is expected to continue to rely on a tandem of Jeff Zatkoff and Peter Budaj for now. Though neither option provides the same value to a team that the all-world Quick does, I’ve been told that the restocking of the pipeline in net with Jeff Zatkoff and Jack Campbell in the wake of goaltending departures of Jonathan Bernier and Martin Jones (via trade), J-F Berube (via waivers) and Patrik Bartosak (domestic violence incident, followed by a suspension and non-qualification) is to help in interim situations such as these. Whether a potential three-month Quick absence serves as an “interim situation” is debatable, but I’m not under any impression that a trade for a goaltender is imminent, due mainly to the team’s salary cap limitations.

Los Angeles, in search of its first win of the season, will travel to Dallas to face the Stars at American Airlines Center on Thursday. (5:30 p.m. / FOX Sports West / FOX Sports Go / KABC 790 / I Heart Radio).