The first thing that comes to mind when talking about the New York Rangers is an elite goaltender. For the past 35 years, the Rangers have gotten elite play from whoever was in between the pipes. Whether it was Mike Richter, Henrik Lundqvist, or Igor Shesterkin, the Rangers and their fans have been spoiled by the caliber of goaltender they have had. It's not just their starting goalie, but the backups have been played at a high level.
This has continued this season with the play of backup goalie Jonathan Quick. In the five games he's started, he has a record of 3-2-0 with a save percentage of .951% and a goals against average of 1.42. He's also had one of the Rangers' two shutout victories this season. Quick has been one of the few players the team has been able to rely on. He's someone who has been able to stop the bleeding and deliver a strong performance when the Rangers need it.
Jonathan Quick is one of the unsung heroes of the Rangers' season
It has seemed like every time the Rangers are in need of a win, Quick has been able to deliver. Sure, his record may indicate otherwise with him being 3-2, but a look at his stats shows he's not the reason they lost. In those games, he has stopped 60 of the 63 shots he faced, and both games were one-goal losses. Also, two of Quick's three wins ended three-game losing streaks. He's been the stopgap the team has needed.
Quick is playing at a much higher level than people expected, and his metrics show that it's sustainable. According to Moneypuck, he has Goals Saved Above Average of 6.2 and an xSave percentage on unblocked shots of .955%. He also has an xGAA of 2.68. These numbers suggest that Quick hot start is not a flash in the pan. He will be able to keep up this high production and give the Rangers one of the best goalie tandems in the league.
His strong performances are not the only thing Quick has brought to the Rangers, as he's also a leader in the locker room. This is evident in the most recent game against the Red Wings. As the final horn sounded, the Red Wings took a shot at the empty net. Quick took this as an insult and confronted the Wings about it. This led to a benches-clearing brawl between the two squads. The team decided to rally around Quick, and believed if he thought it was an insult, they should see it as one too.
This is a sign of a true leader. Having the team rally behind him and support him, no matter what the cause, shows that he has significant sway in the locker room. With all the problems the Rangers have had in the locker room, having a strong leader like Quick is very important. Although he was on the team last year, he can help solve some of those problems and prevent the team from quitting like they did last year.
Although a backup goalie does not seem that important, Quick has been one of the key pieces for the Rangers. His ability to put the Rangers in a position to win, as well as his leadership, is something the team can't replace.