Lucas Peltier / AP
Vegas Golden Knights center Ivan Barbashev is congratulated after scoring a goal against the Montreal Canadiens during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Sunday, March 5, 2023, in Las Vegas.
Tuesday, March 7, 2023 | 2 a.m.
It can be a stressful time when a player gets traded late in the season — regardless of sport.
That is especially true when that player has been with one team for their entire career because facing new surroundings in the blink of an eye could be a daunting adjustment.
The Golden Knights don’t have just one of those players. They acquired three that fit that bill during the week of the NHL trade deadline.
Forwards Ivan Barbashev and Teddy Blueger, and goalie Jonathan Quick, were Vegas’ deadline acquisitions, each with a specific role to help the Golden Knights try and get back to the playoffs this season.
But the newest Golden Knights also have one thing in common: They’ve never played for any other team than their previous stomping grounds.
Quick, the two-time Stanley Cup-winning goalie with the Los Angeles Kings, was drafted by L.A. in the third round of the 2005 NHL Draft and won 370 games with the Golden Knights’ Interstate-15 rival.
“There’s a ton of emotions, obviously, considering how much time my family and I spent there,” Quick said. “At the end of the day, they made the decision that was best for their team. I had to make some decisions that were best for me and my family. I’m looking forward to enjoying this team. These guys have been great so far, helping me out, making me feel comfortable.”
Barbashev comes to Vegas after seven full seasons with the St. Louis Blues. He was a member of the 2019 Blues team that won the Stanley Cup. Blueger, drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2012, is in his fifth NHL season — the first four were with Sidney Crosby and the Penguins.
“I was with some of those guys for a long time,” Blueger said. “My wife and I absolutely loved the city, and you build relationships there. In that sense, it is hard, and it’s part of the business and you know you’re not going to be there forever, most likely. It’s a good opportunity here and a good group.”
Add in the component of having families, and uprooting life and scenery you’ve known for your whole playing career is another dilemma. Quick and his wife Jaclyn have two kids, Carter and Madison. Barbashev and wife Ksenia have a 2-year-old son, Daniil. Blueger and his wife Monique got married in 2021.
“I think we always have, and showed, that we have an open mentality to new guys,” forward Jonathan Marchessault said. “We know the organization always does a great job to go get guys that are not just good players, but good teammates.”
It’s helped that the players come into a Golden Knights locker room with plenty of familiar faces. Quick was teammates with defensemen Alec Martinez, Brayden McNabb and Ben Hutton, and forward Michael Amadio, during his time in Los Angeles.
Barbashev doesn’t have to go far in the Golden Knights’ locker room to see an old friend. Four seats away from him sits his former captain Alex Pietrangelo, whom he celebrated that Stanley Cup victory with.
Quick, Barbashev and Blueger are all stationed at Red Rock Resort for the time being until they get settled in homes of their own.
“I’m pretty sure we’ll get to know each other pretty well,” Quick said. “Speaking with them briefly already, we’re all just looking forward to it.”
The Golden Knights have long been associated with having a tight-knit locker room, even with the turnover on the roster the last few years. Vegas didn’t part with any current roster players to acquire the three, so the camaraderie that’s been there remains.
“I think that’s a testament to the guys we have in this room. I said it first thing when I got traded here that I felt welcomed right away,” said Martinez, who came in a trade with the Kings in February 2020. “I know there’s only a few original Misfits around, but having gone through it, being the new guy, that’s fresh in your mind. Everyone was willing to reach out, help out any way they could, whether it be rides, recommendations or restaurants or anything like that. Our room is a very welcoming room.”
The rest of the Golden Knights are about to get to know their newcomers very well in the next week with Vegas embarking on a five-game road trip, continuing Thursday against the Florida Panthers.
It’s a hectic time to adjust, but the Golden Knights seem intent on making sure it’s a seamless transition.
“The best team chemistry is just to joke around and to grab a few beers and get to know each other,” Marchessault said. “It’s a good time of the year, and we have a nice road trip coming up. I’m sure we’ll have a good time.”
