Still watching the dust settle, but it definitely stings regardless. It is a complex deal with so many moving parts that have now been picked apart tirelessly, but ultimately, the problem isn't that Quick was dealt, although it was bound to feel like it in the emotional hours right after the trade. The problem with the trade is the timing (and how it was done) given Quick's status and the shock that management was willing to throw the first for rentals to make a postseason push right now. I guarantee if this was a deal for a long-term option that was guaranteed to help the team get better beyond this season the reaction would have still been very emotionally charged but a lot less severe.
This deal is extremely divisive and garners little love from any party that views it. There is no question that this trade makes the roster better right now until the end of this season, but this is a very large gamble by Blake that literally no one expected. Not the fanbase, not the media, and not even executives and personnel around the league. Literally, no one was expecting Blake to push valuable chips in the center to win this season. Everyone was expecting him to make the move for a Chychrun-type deal because the Kings are certainly in the ballpark and moving towards becoming a contender, but no one believed the window was now, except for Blake and Kings brass I guess.
The funny thing is their logic makes sense in that the team has put up a valiant fight. They have clawed their way into top contention in the West despite significant flaws in the roster. With just the basic/average goaltending of Copley, the team has the offense to still win games despite their weakness on defense. However, these significant flaws were seen as a reason by the fanbase and everyone else that they weren't ready, but to the management, this signaled that they were just a few steps away. They believe that the players on the roster deserve a reward for their play and efforts, and that by addressing and plugging those holes this speed boat could take off. Now obviously we are all skeptical, but I mean a trade with Columbus has had that effect on this team a couple of times before... But it does come off as a far greater gamble than the last two trades given the players' rental status and Gavrikov being very open about his desire to test the market. All in all, they are right that the team deserved some help and a reward for their play, I can understand their logic, but I don't think many would agree that reward would be making a contender's final deal of throwing away their first for a couple of rentals.
The issue with Quick is that it is still vague even though we now have a lot more pieces. We knew that Quick was upset but gracious and okay with the deal especially after he was traded to Vegas, can compete, and knows that his family doesn't have to move and his kids can remain in school, etc. We know that Blake handled it as best as he could in that the deal had to happen then and there with Columbus and he didn't wait. The timing sucked but he did the right thing in calling Quick and then Kopitar and Doughty immediately. Obviously, Kopitar and Doughty are sad but know the business and that it is time to compete, but there is also an unbreakable bond, Quick's number is going straight to the rafters after he retires, and he will be forever a King and will be treated like royalty in LA forever after the dust has settled regardless of the deal or anything that went down. Obviously, we haven't heard from Quick yet or his perspective, I am sure his presser is coming soon, but it sounds like he is doing okay.
The vagueness all lies in Jonathan's intentions. Robitaille said that last summer Quick indicated that he wants to play after this season, but wasn't clear if that had been discussed with him since. Obviously, this has changed since last summer in terms of Quick's performance and given he plays goal there is very little room to carry around a goaltender that isn't performing. Blake said he had spoken to Quick throughout the season, but didn't indicate about what and couldn't confirm if Quick was intending to continue or not.
This is where the fanbase is focused. Blake has stated that the likes of Brown, Carter, Quick, Doughty, and Kopitar, etc. had earned their say or to be at least communicated to about their future with the team. What surprised everyone is they believed that surely Quick knew the writing was on the wall and now being a couple months away from the end of his season and contract he was destined to have the fairytale ride out into the sunset like Brown and it was going to work out perfectly. But if Quick was determined to play after this season, neither the organization nor the fanbase was going to be okay with that regardless of his status, and Quick doesn't have any trade protections. It seems evident through Kopitar and Doughty's reactions that they, including Quick, were blindsided and didn't even expect this turn of events which means that Blake never hinted in any way shape or form that there was even a possibility they were exploring options or had a recent conversation with Quick in regard to his future. Sure, if Quick was hellbent and said I am playing fine and want to keep going for a couple more seasons, then absolutely nothing can be helped, but if Quick was planning to retire anyway in two months and wanted to retire a King...
That puts Blake between a rock and a hard place, but that is a lot more of a gray area to be in because an argument could be had that Quick has earned that. You can carry three goalies, you can still upgrade the goalie position without moving him. If they end up not utilizing this cap space it could be a deafening slap to the face.
So, there still is a piece of the puzzle to determining the correct emotional logic of the whole situation, and we will have no clue on the overall value of the trade until the season is over and we are able to see the results, but from the initial perspective of it all there isn't much to go on over the necessity of the diceroll and forcing and attaching Quick's name to it guarantees that this will be scrutinized to the N'th degree and will go down as one of the most memorable good or horrific trades in Kings history.
