Jonathan Quick's Underappreciated Role With the New York Rangers
Jonathan Quick found the fountain of youth during his first season in New York. He'll be looking to remain a key piece to the puzzle for the New York Rangers.
Everyone loves Igor Shesterkin. He has captured the fanbase's hearts since ascending to the starting role in relief of Henrik Lundqvist. Yes, Alexandar Georgiev held the position briefly, but he never had the skill set to be the heir to the Swedish King as Igor does. Shesterkin has been a crucial part of the Rangers for years and will be again in the 2024-25 season. But what about the other Blueshirts goaltender this season, Jonathan Quick?
Quick is a three-time Stanley Cup Champion and a 2012 Conn Smythe winner. He's shown himself to be a valuable netminder during his career, and he is now playing in his twilight years for the team he loved growing up in Milford, Connecticut. It's a beautiful story for a boyhood Rangers idol. But he must do more than watch from the bench this year. He will be critical to the Rangers' chances at a deep playoff run.
In recent seasons, the Rangers have been forced to ride Igor Shesterkin more than they would like to due to poor-performing backups like Jaroslav Halak and the aforementioned Georgiev. Quick's first season in the iconic Blueshirt was not like that. He was respectable with a .911 save percentage and a 2.67 goals-against average, especially during Igor's struggles up to the all-star break. He will be tasked with repeating his success in the crease.
Resting Shesterkin at every possible opportunity will be a must for the Rangers this season. Games against teams like the Florida Panthers will not be where he sees the pine of the bench, but against someone like the San Jose Sharks, Quick will be tasked with picking up wins and points without the star. There will be question marks around Quick, given his struggles in Vegas and at the end of his time with the Los Angeles Kings.
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Quick's ability to be a stopgap for the Rangers while Igor worked his demons out was critical to recapturing the Presidents' Trophy last season. Proving he is still instrumental in short sample sizes, Quick dispelled the notion that he wasn't what he once was. He's still capable of impactful performances in the most significant moments, and the Rangers need to use him for that.
When I think about his best performances in the Rangers sweater last season, the game that springs out to me is the game in the dark at Climate Pledge Arena when the Rangers beat the Kraken, and Quick turned back the clock to look like the guy that stole the Stanley Cup twice for the City of Angels. That won't be the guy the Rangers get every time now that he is almost 39, but he's good enough to do the job required.
There are many question marks around him, and we won't get many answers early in the season. Igor Shesterkin will be the opening night starter, quite clearly. Quick will need to play a part role with massive implications because he will be playing purely to allow Shesterkin to recoup and recover. It's a role that many will not notice, but it could have a major impact on the Rangers postseason.