Kings Activate Jonathan Quick off IR After Suffering Lower-Body Injury in Opener

After missing more than four months due to a lower-body injury, Los Angeles Kings goalie Jonathan Quick was activated from injured reserve Saturday.

Kings general manager Dean Lombardi announced the move, as well as the reassignment of goalie Jeff Zatkoff to the AHL's Ontario Reign to make room.

Quick went down in L.A.'s season-opening game against the San Jose Sharks and has missed the past 59 contests.

Veteran Peter Budaj has been the Kings' primary starter during Quick's absence, and he has performed well to the tune of a 27-20-3 record, 2.12 goals-against average, .917 save percentage and an NHL-leading seven shutouts.

Budaj's stellar play should allow Los Angeles to bring Quick back into the fold slowly, although Quick figures to be the team's workhorse should it qualify for the playoffs.

The 31-year-old American has led the Kings to two Stanley Cup victories, and he is the franchise leader in every major goaltending category with 252 wins, a 2.27 goals-against average, a .916 save percentage and 42 shutouts in his career.

Quick has twice been named an All-Star and won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff MVP in 2011-12.

He is among the NHL's elite goalies when healthy and should provide a boost to a Kings team that entered play Saturday five points out of a playoff spot in the Western Conference.