Coming into this season, New York Ranger fans were not sure what to think when it came to the signing of goaltender Jonathan Quick.
Last season, Quick, 38, struggled mightily. With the Los Angeles Kings, Quick was 11-13-0-4 with a 3.50 goals-against average, a .876 save percentage, with one shutout, and after being traded to the Vegas Golden Knights, Quick was 5-2-0-2 with a 3.13 goals-against average, a .901 save percentage, and one shutout.
Do not look now, but Quick managed to make Ranger fans feel at ease with his very strong performance so far this season. He is currently 17-5-0-2 with a 2.54 goals against average, a .913 save percentage, and two shutouts.
Thanks to his strong season and dedication to proving that he is still a great NHL goaltender, Quick was named the team’s nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. On NHL.com, it states that the Bill Masteron Memorial Trophy is “awarded annually by the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to ice hockey”.
When Igor Shesterkin was injured and struggling to find his game, it was Quick who stepped up big-time for the Blueshirts. He won a lot of hockey games by coming up with big saves, battling to stop every puck, and providing veteran leadership both on and off the ice.
Speaking of being a leader on and off the ice, Quick did something very special for Blake Wheeler’s son Louie during the Stadium Series at MetLife Stadium back in February. Because Wheeler suffered a season-ending injury against the Montreal Canadiens back on Thursday, February 15, he was not going to be able to play in the outdoor game against the Islanders.
When Wheeler’s son Louie found out, he was devastated. Quick then came to the rescue and took Louie to the team’s family skate.
Due to Quick’s strong play between the pipes and his emergence as one of the team’s leaders, the Blueshirts extended Quick with a one-year contract extension worth $1.275 million back on Sunday, March 3. This is good for all involved as Quick gets to play with his favorite team growing up for another year while also getting a chance to win his fourth Stanley Cup.
The NY chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association made the right choice in nominating Quick for this award.
