New York now puts its trust in the three-time Stanley Cup Winner to backup Igor Shesterkin. The tandem seems to be set for the new season.
GM Chris Drury’s off-season emphasized the needs of the team, rather than the wants. A top-six forward need was filled by the signing of 36-year-old Blake Wheeler. Forwards Nick Bonino, Tyler Pitlick, and Alex Belzile come in to solidify the fourth line. Defenceman Erik Gustafsson is almost a lock to play alongside Braden Schneider on the third defensive pair. However, who would have thought that the most integral signing of the summer would be the backup netminder?
Why The Jonathan Quick Signing Makes More Sense Than You Think
You might be familiar with Hamden, Connecticut as the home of the most recent Men’s Hockey National Champions: the Quinnipiac Bobcats. Did you know that it is also home to one of the most successful American goaltenders of the 21st century?
Born in nearby Milford, Jonathan Quick called Hamden “home” for several years. He was in the town’s high school before transferring to Connecticut’s hockey powerhouse Avon Old Farms. It is the same program that has NHL talents such as Cam Atkinson, and Matt Martin. Furthermore, it includes Blueshirts legend Brian Leetch.
After two Stanley Cups with Los Angeles and most recently with the Vegas Golden Knights, Quick discovers himself in his newest role as the backup. Many claim that the 37-year-old’s better days are well behind him. Here’s why the Jonathan Quick signing is beneficial to the team and fans alike.
Experience Is Needed In A Backup Goaltender
Most teams now look for that “grizzled vet” who can play behind the young goaltender. After trading away Alexander Georgiev to Colorado before the start of last season, the Rangers found their veteran presence in the form of Jaroslav Halak. Halak’s start to last season was abysmal. His record of 3-6-1 in his first 10 starts was subpar. He quickly found his form in the latter half of the season, finishing with a record of 10-9-5.
Quick started 36 games for Vegas last season, possessing a record of 16-15-6. You might say to yourself “These records are almost identical, what’s the point?” The point is beyond records, beyond stats, even beyond age. This will be a new change of scenery for Quick. It might be needed while entering the final act of his career.
The Rangers have eight “back-to-back” fixtures in the upcoming season, three in the month of December alone. The first of these consecutive games comes at the end of November when the Rangers play Philadelphia the day after American Thanksgiving, and Boston right after that. Quick will either play against a rival or against one of the most explosive offences in the entire league. Head coach Peter Laviolette and goaltending coach Benoit Allaire are going to squeeze every last drop of goaltending ability out of Quick, and his experience will be tested facing off against quality opponents.
A Championship Mentality Is A Must In New York
When searching for a new head coach, one quality that stands out is championship success. The Rangers famously used this style of recruitment when they hired Mike Keenan before the start of the illustrious 1993-94 season. The same can be said about this year, thanks to Laviolette’s lone Stanley Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2005-06. Why not implement the same way of thinking with free agents?
Say what you will about the 37-year-old netminder, but Quick has something that no other player has on this roster: a ring (actually, he has three of them). Sure, one of those championships was won against his now-current team, but don’t forget that he and that talented Los Angeles core avenged the Blueshirts when they defeated the New Jersey Devils in six games back in 2012. Age and skill aside, one simply cannot deny the fact that he is a winner and it’s a mindset that needs to be instilled into this current Rangers roster.
Another Local Kid Gets To Call Madison Square Garden His Home
When the Rangers acquired Adam Fox from Carolina back in 2019, the main headline was a local boy coming home. Every beat writer and blogger tweeted the now-famous picture of a young Fox decked out in his Rangers home jersey. Now, the Blueshirts have another fan in their system.
Jonathan Quick in NYR is $825K, with possibility of another $100K in bonuses. Grew up a Ranger fan
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) July 1, 2023
Yes, the Connecticut-born Quick loved the Blueshirts growing up. His favourite player was another successful American goaltender by the name of Mike Richter. After years of stopping pucks out on the West Coast, Quick now gets a chance to step into the same crease as his idol when he dons the blue sweater and takes the ice under the iconic ceiling of The World’s Most Famous Arena. Sure, the move might not make sense to some, but the Jonathan Quick signing definitely makes sense for him.
Main Photo: Walter Tychnowicz-USA TODAY Sports
