Tuesday night in Los Angeles could be a tough night for New York Rangers fans, as the return of Jonathan Quick will likely include some references to the 2014 Stanley Cup Final. Quick will turn 40 on Wednesday, and it is quite possible that his start for the Rangers against the Kings will be his final appearance in a building he called home for the first 16 seasons of his NHL career. This won't be the first time Quick has been back, but with it potentially being his last visit, it is possible he gets a little extra love.
Quick thought he would retire as a member of the Kings, and it was shocking for him when Los Angeles dealt him to the Columbus Blue Jackets. He ended up making out on the deal, as the Blue Jackets flipped him to Vegas, and Quick captured the third Stanley Cup of his illustrious career. If this is truly it for Quick playing in Los Angeles, it will have been an amazing ride that is certainly worth celebrating.
Quick was one of best netminders of his era in Los Angeles
Quick started 729 games for the Kings and posted a record of 370-275-82 while also recording a .911 save percentage and a 2.46 goals against average in the regular season. He had some amazing regular seasons while in Los Angeles, but he never was able to capture a Vezina Trophy as the league's top goalie.
He did make up for that with a Conn Smythe Trophy in 2012 as the most valuable player in the playoffs, and he backstopped the No. 8 seed Kings to a title with a 16-4 record, a .946 save percentage, and a 1.41 goals against average with three shutouts.
In total, he went 49-43 in 92 playoff games with a .921 save percentage, a 2.31 goals against average and 10 shutouts. His second title came with the Kings in 2013-14, and that year he went 16-10 with a .911 save percentage and a 2.58 goals against average which was enough to help the Kings win it all.
Rangers need to help Quick snap losing streak, leave Los Angeles with a win
Quick is 0-9-2 in his last 11 appearances for the Rangers, and he's allowed three or more goals in six straight games. He turns 40 on Wednesday, and his struggles are very much a case of him being an older goalie that never expected to have an elevated workload this season. Quick was at his best when he was spot starting for Igor Shesterkin, but he hasn't had that luxury.
The Rangers are coming off a game in which they were winning 2-1 and ultimately lost 5-3 to the Anaheim Ducks. The Rangers will be off on Wednesday and Thursday before heading to San Jose, and they need to come together as a group and support their veteran netminder on his big night. The Kings are 19-16-13 with 51 points and just on the outside of the playoff picture, but they are a team the Rangers should be able to beat.