Jonathan Quick was a backup goaltender acting as a mentor at the end of last season with the Vegas Golden Knights. He got his third Stanley Cup championship.
He is going to try for another championship cup this season, this time for all 82 matches and hopefully, another long stay in the Stanley Cup Playoffs while living his dream and serving as a goalie who is considered to be one of the best in the world.
Quick entered a one-year contract worth $825,000 with the New York Rangers on July 1 to be Igor Shesterkin’s backup, who received the 2022 Vezina Trophy selected as the NHL’s best goaltender and was eighth in voting last season.
Hailing from Milford, Connecticut, 70 miles outside New York City, Quick grew up having a poster of Mike Richter on his bedroom wall and was eight years old when he watched Richter assist his favourite team to win the Stanley Cup in 1994.
“Growing up watching the Rangers as a kid, this is just an opportunity you can’t turn down,” Quick said Monday. “Just want to make the most of it.”
Jonathan Quick said the chance he has with New York, and the one he got with Vegas last season, supporting Adin Hill on the Stanley Cup run, was not in his books.
“Up until about five months ago, I thought I was going to be retiring a King,” Quick said. “Those were the discussions that were had.”
Then the Los Angeles Kings where he won the Cup in 2012 and 2014, and the only team he had played for in an NHL career that kickstarted his debut on December 6, 2007, traded him to the Columbus Blue Jackets on March 1. One day later, Columbus sent him to the Golden Knights.
Quick appeared in 10 games for the Knights in the regular season and suited up for one of the first eight playoff matches before Laurent Brossoit got injured in Game 3 of the Western Conference Second Round against the Edmonton Oilers. He was Hill’s substitute for the rest of the season.
But he was more of a backup. He was Hill’s partner, sounding board and mentor.
“Unbelievable,” Hill said when asked about Quick after Vegas won the Stanley Cup at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on June 13. “I talked to him all the time. Quick has been an awesome guy. He’s one of the best guys I’ve met in the hockey world.”
Being the No.1 goalie since 2008-09 in LA, Quick quickly got used to his new role as the backup/mentor to the Golden Knights. He liked it but does not know how much mentoring he will have to do with Shesterkin in New York.
“Igor, he’s Igor, and he doesn’t need too much mentorship with as good as he is and what he’s already been able to accomplish in his young career,” Quick said. “If there’s times when I can help him, I’m definitely willing to and looking forward to that, and also whenever I’m in the net trying to the team win hockey games.”
Winning matches is crucial to why the New York Rangers signed Jonathan Quick. They cannot depend only on Shesterkin to lead them to the playoffs.
Jaroslav Halak began 24 games last season, winning 10 with a 2.72 goals-against average, a .903 save percentage and one shutout. New York will need the same effort from Quick, should Igor play again between 55-60 games and ideally win close to 40. He started 58 and won 37 last season.
“I think it’ll be seamless,” Rangers general manager Chris Drury said. “He’s excited to be a Ranger. A Connecticut kid that wanted to come here, play here and be a Ranger. He obviously knows all about ‘Shesty’ and his accomplishments, and I think he’s ready to take on the role of mentor, similar to what he did in Vegas. We’re excited to have him.”
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