The New York Rangers have had a strong 2023-24 campaign and will look to have a strong postseason. They went all-in at the 2024 Trade Deadline with the acquisitions of Alex Wennberg, Chad Ruhwedel, and Jack Roslovic and have been playing solid hockey as they head down the final stretch of the regular season. Before the season even started though, they went out and added a veteran goaltender in Jonathan Quick who has been nothing short of fantastic during his time with the team. While he isn’t the starter by any means as Igor Shesterkin has continued to play well, Quick could be someone the Rangers lean on if anything goes wrong in the playoffs.
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Quick has been a pleasant surprise for the Rangers. When he was signed, he had low expectations and was only expected to be a backup who they could lean on if Shesterkin needed rest. Luckily for them, he has been so much more than that. Through 25 games played this season, he has posted a 2.54 goals-against average (GAA) and a .913 save percentage (SV%). While he was bounced around several teams last season before finishing his campaign with the Vegas Golden Knights where they ended up winning the Stanley Cup, he has found a new home in New York where he will likely finish out his career.
The Rangers rewarded Quick with a contract after his solid season, as he signed a one-year extension worth $1.275 million keeping him through the 2024-25 season, earning a raise on the $825,000 salary he signed for before the 2023-24 season. He has proven himself as one of the best goaltenders in recent history during his time with the Los Angeles Kings where he helped lead them to two Stanley Cups, and then winning his third last season. He is a proven playoff performer, a two-time Vezina Trophy nominee, a two-time William M. Jennings Trophy winner, and won the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2012. Should anything go wrong for the Rangers between the pipes in the postseason, Quick could be an X-factor.
Quick Proving Age Is Just a Number
At 38 years old, Quick has continued to prove that age is just a number. At the time of this article, he sits seventh in the league for best GAA and tied for ninth for best SV%. Usually, aging goaltenders start to decline in a big way in their later years and aren’t able to provide nearly as much as they were during the prime of their career, but Quick has been able to go against the grain.
The Rangers got lucky with Quick when they took a risk on him this season, as he has proven every doubter wrong. His stats speak for themselves, his leadership has benefited the Rangers as they push for a chance to win the Presidents’ Trophy this season, and his resume puts him in arguments to be one of the best goaltenders of the 21st century, if not of all-time.
Quick is currently eight wins away from 400 in his career, as he sits 15th all-time in that category with 392. Throughout his career, he has played in 778 games, putting him at 22nd all-time, four behind Mike Vernon as well as ten away from Gilles Meloche as he looks to climb the rankings and add to his potential Hall of Fame career. As he pushes the 40-year-old mark, he has shown no signs of slowing down.
Rangers May Have Best Goaltending in the NHL
The Rangers currently sit seventh in the NHL in average goals against per game, eighth in total goals against, and sixth in total SV% between all goaltenders. Looking at the teams above them in every stat, it’s fair to conclude that they may still have the strongest goaltending depth in the NHL. Shesterkin is a consistent Vezina Trophy candidate who has proven himself as one of the best goaltenders in the league, Quick is an almost perfect veteran backup, and the Rangers have Louis Domingue in the American Hockey League (AHL) who can also provide stability if he is called upon.
Heading into the postseason, it’s tough to imagine any scenario where the Rangers won’t be able to make a deep run. Aside from their elite goaltending, they have great defensive depth and forwards who have exploded offensively. Those factors combined should help the Rangers make a push for their first Stanley Cup since 1994, and it will be tough to bet against them. With just seven games left, they are hopeful they can finish the regular season strong and build some momentum heading into the postseason.