BUFFALO, N.Y. _ Los Angeles Kings General Manager Dean Lombardi said Wednesday he's not ready to "throw the kitchen sink" at another team to acquire a top-notch goaltender even if an upgrade were available and he could squeeze that contract under the salary cap. He also said Jonathan Quick, who suffered a groin injury in the season opener, is on course to return in mid-February. He initially said Wednesday that Quick would be out until March but amended that and called early March a "worst-case scenario."
Speaking while his team practiced in Buffalo the morning after its second-period collapse in a 6-3 loss to the Sabres, Lombardi said he believes players have overcome enough adversity to figure out how to end their slump.
"We've had a lot of good players that I don't think they're at the top of their game," he said, but he acknowledged having looked at goaltending help. Peter Budaj has appeared in 25 of the last 26 games, and Jeff Zatkoff _ who got the loss Tuesday _ has lost the trust of coach Darryl Sutter.
"You're almost going down to the third man on the depth chart when you're talking to a lot of these teams, and then you also have the issue if you highlight a certain guy you have the realization you have a No. 1 goalie coming back, too, with expansion coming," Lombardi said, referring to the fact each team can protect only one goalie in the expansion draft that will stock the Vegas Golden Knights.
"If he is a top guy you're going to lose him, so what are you going to give up for a two-month asset? To be honest with you it hasn't even been that type of player in play."
Lombardi sought guidance from Montreal GM Marc Bergevin, whose team fell out of a playoff spot last season after goalie Carey Price suffered a knee injury. "I'm looking at it, 'Keep in it. Stay in it,' " Lombardi said of being close to a playoff position. "It's a different challenge than being down 3-0 in the playoffs. It's a different challenge but you've been through things like this before."
Dustin Brown said after players met Tuesday they talked to the coaches "a lot" Wednesday. "We haven't played well over the last five, six games," Brown said. "You address it. A little bit of panic in our game right now, and that's when you've got to come together and support each other."
