The Los Angeles Kings netminder received the start Saturday versus the Anaheim Ducks, marking his first appearance since being injured in the season opener.
He was activated from injured reserve earlier Saturday.
Quick was hurt in the first period of the Kings' season debut against the San Jose Sharks on Oct. 12, and missed the next 59 contests with a groin injury in the same area as the groin strain that forced him to miss two months in 2013.
The Kings assigned netminder Jeff Zatkoff to the AHL's Ontario Reign in a corresponding move. He went 2-7-1 with a 2.95 GAA and .879 save percentage while serving as Peter Budaj's backup.
Budaj was relied upon heavily in Quick's absence and he held his own behind Los Angeles' stingy defense, going 27-20-3 with a 2.12 GAA, a .917 save percentage, and seven shutouts.
The 34-year-old opted to appeal his ban, hoping to have it shortened. Many expected the league to acquiesce to this request, with some reports pinning the eventual reduced total at five games.
According to the league, he met with commissioner Gary Bettman in New York on Thursday, but the hearing didn't sway the league.
Vermette has missed four games for Anaheim, meaning he'll remain barred from returning until the team's game against the Washington Capitals on March 12.
The veteran pivot will forfeit $97,222.22 in salary while serving his suspension, with that money going to the Players' Emergency Assistance Fund.
"It looked to me like he was the best player out there today," Babcock told reporters, according to TSN's Kristen Shilton. "I don't know why he's not dressed tonight."
The first-year phenom will miss his fifth consecutive game with the undisclosed ailment, yet he still ranks third among rookies with 48 points and fifth in the class with 15 goals.
As much as Babcock wants to get Marner back in the lineup, the medical staff exists for a reason, and the team doctors should be trusted enough to not have their decisions questioned, regardless of the head coach's assessment.
The Eastern Conference leader already has a playoff spot in the bag, but it's fair to assume they'll be pushing for a victory regardless, as doing so would allow head coach Barry Trotz to claim his 700th career win - and against the Predators no less, the team he led for the first 15 years of his career.
Trotz amassed 557 wins during his time as the Predators' head coach, helping the club reach the postseason on seven different occasions. But given a star-studded group in Washington a few years ago, the 54-year-old has found even greater success.
Since adding the new bench boss in 2014-15, the Capitals have been one of the most dominant clubs in the NHL, both in the standings and in the finer points of their game:
1) Since Trotz's arrival in Washington in 14/15, #Caps rank first in wins, points, goals against per game and power play percentage.
Trotz has racked up 142 wins through 224 games in Washington, taking his career total to 699 ahead of Saturday's matchup.
The team's chances of raising its head coach to that plateau are pretty good - the Capitals have won eight of their last 10, though they haven't faced the Predators yet this season.
Trotz currently ranks sixth all-time in coaching wins, just 27 wins behind Lindy Ruff. Though, to be fair to the head coaches of decades past, Trotz also ranks sixth in career losses, and seventh in total games behind the bench.
Regardless, the veteran has established himself as one of the best in the business throughout his near two-decade career, and looks set to add to that legacy in the very near future.
Jim Rutherford is shedding light on Marc-Andre Fleury's thought process ahead of Wednesday's trade deadline, and while no decision has been made about the goaltender's future, things are starting to become more clear.
"Based on my conversation with him here in the last day or so, it's very clear to me that he would like to get playing," the Penguins general manager told NHL Network at Heinz Field on Friday.
"We're going to communicate right up to the deadline, and that decision will be made probably within the 48 hours leading up to the deadline - what's best for him and what's best for the Penguins."
The veteran netminder hasn't garnered much interest from other clubs.
"We have not received any offers on him," Rutherford said. "Certainly teams have called over the course of the season asking a number of questions, but that's as far as it's gotten."
Fleury's sudden urge to increase his playing time is a departure from the attitude he's purportedly held since last spring, when he was supplanted as the Penguins' starter by Matt Murray, who continues to get more starts than his more experienced teammate.
"(Fleury) was really good last year with accepting his role in a tough situation for a guy who was a No. 1 goalie for a long time," Rutherford said. "And (now) he's back to that same role this year and he's handled it very well."
The GM has long stated that he'd prefer to keep both goalies through the end of this season, and he reiterated that Friday.
Fleury isn't a pending free agent, but the Penguins would still be better off getting something for him in a trade than losing him for nothing in the expansion draft this summer. If neither of those things happen, they'll be stuck with his $5.75-million cap hit for another two seasons.
From the sounds of it, the two-time Stanley Cup champion is starting to embrace the idea of taking on a larger role than he has now.
Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin resisted the urge to trade for him when centers Alex Galchenyuk and David Desharnais went down with injuries earlier in the season, but things have now taken a turn for the worse in Montreal, even with both of those players back in the lineup.
Hanzal will likely have plenty of suitors before Wednesday afternoon's trade deadline, and the struggling Canadiens need to outbid the competition to ensure they land him.
Here are three reasons why they have to go out and get him immediately:
They're starving for scoring
Montreal isn't playing like a team that's been in first place all season.
The Canadiens have been shut out in four of their last eight games, and they've scored only 10 goals in that span, including just three in the three contests since Claude Julien stepped back behind the bench.
That's obviously not going to cut it, and Bergevin is surely looking for ways to cure their recent scoring woes.
Enter Hanzal. He's a streaky scorer who's never gone over 16 goals in parts of 10 seasons with the Coyotes, but he's also been limited to an average of only 55 games in the previous three campaigns due to injuries.
However, 2016-17 has been a different story. His 16 markers this season have already tied a career high in 10 fewer games than the last time he did it in 2010-11, and he's been on a tear lately with six goals in his last eight contests.
Hanzal has proven to be a dependable option on the offensive end when he's healthy, and he's worth acquiring while he's on a roll.
They have a clear positional need
Even with Galchenyuk and Desharnais back, the Canadiens could use an upgrade up the middle.
Phillip Danault has shown flashes of his talent and has even been bumped up to the top line between Max Pacioretty and Alexander Radulov, but Montreal would stand to benefit from a boost at center, and they have the assets to make a deal happen.
Hanzal is a solid two-way player, and that's certainly something Julien would appreciate.
He'd fit in perfectly in the Canadiens' top six and solidify a roster that already has plenty of depth elsewhere.
They have to right the ship
Beyond taking a step to cure their scoring woes and addressing a positional need, Bergevin has to do something to end the Canadiens' recent slide.
They're 2-7-1 in their last 10 games, and their lead atop the Atlantic Division has shrunk to a mere two points over the second-place Ottawa Senators, who hold two games in hand.
Bergevin said last week that he won't overpay for a short-term fix, and while that's a reasonable stance, sacrifices have to be made to avoid allowing the season to continue spiraling downward.
Hanzal is a pending unrestricted free agent who could bolt at season's end, but his cap hit is reasonable at $3.1 million, and he'd be a more affordable choice than the biggest fish available at the position, Matt Duchene, who will command better prospects and higher draft picks in return.
The Canadiens need to bust out of their funk, and a trade for Hanzal would no doubt invigorate a club searching for a way to get back on track.
Follow theScore's fantasy feed on Twitter (@theScoreFantasy) for the latest news, features and more. And download Squad Up, theScore's free-to-win-money sports game.
Here is a look at the Squad Up daily NHL fantasy picture for Saturday, Feb. 25 (all advanced statistics courtesy of Corsica.Hockeyand apply to 5v5 situations):
Dynamic Duos
C Jack Eichel (57K) & D Rasmus Ristolainen (40K), Sabres (at Avalanche): Ristolainen is an excellent option at his price because of his propensity to pick up hits and blocks in addition to a parade of assists. He has eight points in his last 10 games. Eichel co-assisted on a goal with Ristolainen in their last game, and has likewise been a generally positive presence of late. Against the Avalanche, they're in good shape.
C Ryan Johansen (54K) & LW Filip Forsberg (54K), Predators (at Capitals): Forsberg has six goals in two games. While a third consecutive hat-trick is all but impossible, the Predators draw backup Capitals goaltender Philipp Grubauer. For much of the season, this line has not been the most productive with only a 6.70 scoring chances per 60, but the tide is possibly turning making it a fine contrarian pairing.
C Boone Jenner (41K) & RW Cam Atkinson (61K), Blue Jackets (vs. Islanders): Consistency has helped the Blue Jackets find success as the only team in the NHL with two trios who have skated at least 400 minutes together. Jenner and Atkinson are part of one. Atkinson has been the top scorer with 50 points, but Jenner's lack of scoring is propped up a bit by his 149 hits.
Goalie Breakdown
TARGET - Carey Price (91K), Canadiens (at Maple Leafs): While the Canadiens' struggles have not avoided Price, his upside is still "best goalie on the planet." The Maple Leafs take 32.9 shots per game, third most in the league, so if he's on he'll make plenty of saves to help boost his fantasy returns.
BARGAIN - Philipp Grubauer (76K), Capitals (at Predators): The opposing Predators have a somewhat surprisingly potent offense, averaging 2.85 goals per game on 31.7 shots. Grubauer, a backup on the road, is a contrarian choice as well, but with the Capitals' even stronger offense, a win will help counter the matchup.
FADE - Antti Raanta (86K), Rangers (at Devils): Conversely, even if the Rangers pick up the win, the saves may not be there. No team takes fewer shots than the Devils. For Raanta to be worth the selection, either the Devils need to shoot above their average or he needs to record a shutout. That's too narrow of a probability to trust.
CONTRARIAN - Jonathan Bernier (104K), Ducks (at Kings): Investing this much capital on a backup goaltender on the road seems foolish, but it could pay dividends. Bernier has been unremarkable, but the Kings pepper opponents with shots and fail to convert with regularity. This is a high-risk choice, but it should be a fairly unique tournament option if it hits.
Bargain Plays
C Richard Rakell (31K), Ducks (at Kings): Buoyed by a 20.0% shooting percentage, Rakell has ridden good luck between 5v5 and the power play. He broke out of a five-game point-less funk with two goals in his last game, but the draw here is the potential that G Jonathan Quick hits the ice. If Quick is rusty, Rakell is a cheap target with big scoring potential.
RW Connor Brown (25K), Maple Leafs (vs. Canadiens): Brown has averaged more than two shots per game over his last eight, and has managed three goals for his efforts. After tallying only two points in his first 15 games, Brown's managed 25 in 45. For the minimum salary, his chances are solid in the event Carey Price isn't at his best
D Ryan Ellis (27K), Predators (at Capitals): Only Mattias Ekholm has skated more minutes than Ellis for Nashville. While Ellis' Corsi For % is on the low side (48.30), he's only gone without a shot once in his last 10 games, tallying a solid five points. Likely to block a few shots, he'll return value if he hooks up with a forward on scoring play.
Top Fades
LW Daniel Sedin (50K), Canucks (vs. Sharks): It'd be reasonable to simply consider this an all-encompassing fade of the Canucks' offense (except maybe C Bo Horvat). Sedin's 34 points in 60 games and lack of any kind of physical presence limit his upside considerably. Against a solid defensive team with good goaltending like the traveling Sharks, he's a no go.
C John Tavares (68K), Islanders (at Blue Jackets): Tavares is fine, but his salary seems to be more to do with name recognition than anything. While he can score at will on occasion, G Sergei Bobrovsky has been excellent at home with a .933 save percentage. Don't expect Tavares to reach his ceiling.
RW Brendan Gallagher (51K), Canadiens (at Maple Leafs): No need to outsmart yourself here. There are plenty of options on the wing that taking a contrarian flier on Gallagher is more stubborn than savvy. He has one point in 15 games exacerbated by a very unlucky 2.2% shooting percentage.
Contrarian Options
C Nazem Kadri (50K), Maple Leafs (vs. Canadiens): Kadri comes a sight cheaper than teammate Auston Matthews despite their production being relatively close. Kadri, though, has the added bonus of throwing his weight around. Lower salary and an ability to not be a black hole in the instance he can't find the scoresheet gives him the edge in a questionable matchup.
RW Corey Perry (55K), Ducks (at Kings): Somehow, Perry has only 11 goals in 62 games. It's likely due to a career-worst 6.5% conversion rate on his shots. That is absurd. It hasn't suppressed his salary enough, so he'll likely be avoided. Perry has scored 30 or more goals in five of six seasons with the lone outlier being the strike-shortened 2012-13 campaign. Embrace the risk.
D Shayne Gostisbehere (42K), Flyers (at Penguins): Gostisbehere's salary is entirely too high as he has gone from daily fantasy bargain darling a season ago to possibly the biggest blueline bust. Some of it is horrible luck (3.1 shooting percentage), and his ice time has fluctuated along with it. Still, he's taken 16 shots in five games. Something has to give.
The Pittsburgh Penguins have a few outdoor games under their belt, but none as potentially satisfying as this.
Under the bright lights of Heinz Field, the Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers will renew their historic rivalry for the NHL's Stadium Series on Saturday night, logging another head-to-head battle in what is always a thrilling match-up.
The two Pennsylvanian teams have long been foes in the NHL, but this isn't just a geographic rivalry played up regardless of the players skating for each club. Go back over the past few years, and it's easy to spot the evidence of the two teams' genuine dislike for one another.
That being the case, here are the top three moments showcasing the recent history of the Penguins-Flyers rivalry:
2009: Talbot quiets the crowd
The Penguins and Flyers met in the first round of the '09 playoffs, battling through alternating one-sided tilts to eventually arrive at game six in Philadelphia. The Penguins held a 3-2 series lead - Philly wins and it goes to seven, Pittsburgh wins and it's over.
Four minutes into the second period, Daniel Briere scored to give the Flyers a 3-0 lead, getting the raucous orange-clad fans on their feet. Fresh off a shutout win on the road one game earlier, it was all falling Philadelphia's way.
Then Pittsburgh's Max Talbot threw a wrench into the plans.
The diminutive agitator goaded Philly's Dan Carcillo into a fight. After exchanging a few spirited blows, Talbot was taken to the ice, the two still volleying punches at one another. As the Penguins winger got up and skated to the bench, he put one finger to his lips, shushing the crowd and calling his mates to action.
Talbot's dramatics worked. Pittsburgh exploded for five straight goals to take the victory, ending the series at six games. The Penguins kept rolling all the way to a Stanley Cup championship, with Talbot playing the hero once again in the Cup-winning game.
2011: Jagr rejects Pittsburgh, chooses Flyers
In 2011, former Penguins legend Jaromir Jagr was rumored to be mulling over an NHL return. He'd been out of the league for three seasons after leaving the New York Rangers for the KHL.
Word got out that Jagr was considering a return to Pittsburgh. It was huge. After all the ill will, the second-greatest to ever wear the black and gold was going to reunite with the city that brought him into the league - the one he twice lifted the Cup for. Even better, he'd play alongside the team's new legends in Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.
But it didn't work out like that. Jagr spurned his old club and chose Philadelphia, inking a one-year, $3.3-million deal with the team - $1.3 million more than Pittsburgh's offer.
Jagr put up 19 goals and 54 points in 73 games for Philly, adding insult to injury by posting four goals and an assist in his team's six games against Pittsburgh.
For the Flyers, that wasn't even the most satisfying part. Jagr helped a then-young Claude Giroux blossom into one of the game's elite pivots, the latter scoring a career-best 93 points in his one season alongside Jagr.
Their chemistry was so great, Jagr went as far as to compare Giroux to another of his former teammates.
"Mario Lemieux," Jagr told NHL.com at the time. "A little Mario Lemieux, a little bit smaller - but he can see it."
Yikes.
2012: A playoff series for the ages
For all the hype that's often drummed up when two rivals meet in the postseason, few teams have lived up to it the way Pittsburgh and Philadelphia did in 2012.
Meeting for the first time since the '09 series, the Pennsylvanian clubs put on one of the most memorable six-game stretches in recent NHL history, giving fans everything from highlight reel offensive battles to captain-versus-captain fisticuffs.
After kicking things off with an overtime win in game one, the Flyers stomped Pittsburgh with two straight eight-goal performances in games two and three, taking the Penguins to the brink of elimination.
The series' third match saw tensions boil over as everyone had been waiting for, with captains Crosby and Giroux dropping the gloves while Kris Letang and Kimmo Timonen squared off. It was mayhem.
With their emotions having gotten the better of them and the series all but lost, Pittsburgh came out of nowhere and posted a 10-3 drubbing in game four to stay alive, with Malkin, Crosby, Letang, and Jordan Staal scoring seven of those tallies.
One of the most iconic moments of the series came in the very first shift of the final game, however. Pittsburgh had managed to grind out two wins to put Philly in the same position the Penguins had been in just a few years prior. Lose and it goes to seven, win and it's all over.
Giroux dispensed with the theatrics quickly, setting the tone by leveling Crosby with a bone-crunching check. It was a breakout moment for Giroux, and enough to spur the Flyers on to a 5-1 victory and a series win.
Giroux's performance was so impressive it prompted then-head coach Peter Laviolette to dub him "the best player in the world."
Look at us now
Needless to say, things have changed since that 2012 match-up.
The Penguins retooled and emerged as one of the league's best squads, capturing the second Stanley Cup of the Crosby era last season. The Flyers, meanwhile, have missed the playoffs in two of the past four years and haven't made it past the first round since.
Pittsburgh took the only meeting between the two teams this season - way back in October - and the Penguins beat their in-state rivals in three of four games last season, Philly's only win coming in the last game of the campaign, with all of Pittsburgh's big guns scratched.
There's never a shortage of fireworks when the two teams meet. Rest assured, the Penguins will be looking to reverse their recent outdoor-game fortunes - their last two appearances consisted of a 5-1 loss to Chicago at Soldier Field and the near end of Crosby's career during the last tilt at Heinz Field.
Time for some redemption in Pittsburgh? The Flyers will be all too willing to stop that from happening, with Philadelphia set on knocking the Penguins down a few pegs and slowing their recent ascent.
His now-former GM touted the veteran forward's versatility.
"He's a coach's dream," Nill said. "You can put him anywhere in the lineup. He can kill penalties, be on the power play, he does all the little things right in the offensive zone."
Eaves, a pending unrestricted free agent, was one of the more enticing rental options leading up to the deadline because of his extremely team-friendly $1-million cap hit.
He's also in the midst of a career year, with 21 goals and 37 points at age 32.
The 2003 first-round pick of the Ottawa Senators spent parts of three seasons with the Stars before being traded Friday.
