The Columbus Blue Jackets have made a bold move in their goaltending situation, trading for veteran Jonathan Quick from the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for goaltender Michael Hutchinson and a seventh-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft.
Quick, a former two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Los Angeles Kings, is in the final year of a 10-year, $58 million contract ($5.8 million AAV) he signed after winning his first championship in 2012. The 37-year-old has struggled this season, going 11-13-4 with a 3.50 goals against average and a .876 save percentage.
The Blue Jackets will retain 50 percent of Quick’s $5.8 million cap hit in the deal. The Milford, Connecticut native was reportedly quite upset about the trade, as the team was notified following Tuesday’s 6-5 overtime win over the Winnipeg Jets.
Hutchinson, 33, has appeared in seven games with the AHL’s Henderson Silver Knights this season, going 1-5-1 with a 2.74 goals against average and a .897 save percentage. He last played an NHL game with the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2021-22 season.
Columbus is hoping that the addition of Quick will help solidify the team’s goaltending situation. The Blue Jackets have been struggling in net, with Korpisalo and Merzlikins both struggling to stay healthy and consistent. It remains to be seen if Quick can provide the team with the stability they need in net, but Columbus is clearly hoping that he can.
It will be interesting to see how Quick performs in the Blue Jackets’ net, and how the addition of Hutchinson helps the Golden Knights. Both teams have made a significant move in the goaltending department, and it will be interesting to see how it plays out in the long run.
