Colin Stephenson: Rangers' Jonathan Quick goes from LA legend to Garden great
Rangers goalie Jonathan Quick makes a save during the third period against the Calgary Flames at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday. Credit: Jim McIsaac
Whenever Rangers coach Mike Sullivan is asked about Jonathan Quick, at some point during his answer, the words “fierce competitor’’ are bound to come out. That, Quick certainly is. He wouldn’t be the all-time winningest American-born goaltender in NHL history, and a lock to be a Hockey Hall of Famer, if he wasn’t.
His competitiveness was exemplified on one save he made late in the third period of Tuesday’s 4-0 victory over the Calgary Flames at Madison Square Garden.
The Rangers were leading 3-0 when Yegor Sharangovich picked off a cross-ice pass from Alexis Lafreniere (who had already scored two goals, and would complete his hat trick a few minutes later) at the blue line, sending the Rangers’ defense into scramble mode.
Sharangovich shot the puck high, and off the glass, and the rebound came to Morgan Frost in the lower left circle. Instead of shooting, Frost sent a cross-ice pass to Huntington’s own Matt Coronato, driving to the back post. With Quick on his knees, and out of position, Coronato had what seemed like an empty net to shoot at. But somehow the 40-year-old Quick whirled and threw his arms back across the goal in desperation, and Coronato’s shot ticked off the bottom of his catching glove and went wide.
“I kind of bit on the shot [by Frost] and he threw it backdoor,’’ Quick said. “I just put my glove out there, tried to cover space. And I got fortunate… I caught a piece.’’
Remember, the Rangers are playing out the string, and in the process of a “retool.’’ The game was in hand; a late goal by Calgary wasn’t going to change that.
But Quick was too competitive to give up on the play. And the save with 6:37 remaining preserved the shutout, which was his second of the season and the 65th of his career. That moved him ahead of Rangers icon Henrik Lundqvist into sole possession of 17th place on the NHL all-time shutout list.
“That's a remarkable accomplishment in this game, and it just speaks volumes for how good of a goaltender he's been for so long,’’ Sullivan said. “His competitive spirit, I think, is inspiring, the way he goes about his business every day, watching his work ethic, and I just think he has such a great influence on our group… I know that his teammates were thrilled for him.’’
Quick is notoriously uncomfortable – sometimes coming across as positively grumpy – when asked to talk about himself or his own achievements. But he didn’t mind talking about passing Lundqvist after the game.
“Anytime you’re mentioned with Hank’s name with anything, it’s special,’’ Quick said. “I know what he means to this city, this organization, and what he’s done for goaltenders everywhere. A lot of young guys look up to him. So just to be in the same conversation with (Lundqvist on) anything like that, it’s humbling.’’
Perhaps, as he gets closer to the end of his career, the Milford, Conn., native is willing to be a bit more reflective. He hasn’t announced anything yet about his future, but it’s certainly possible we’re seeing the last of Quick in these final days of the season.
He’s in his 18th NHL season, this is the last year of his contract, and the Rangers are retooling. They’re on the verge of a second consecutive season missing the playoffs, were sellers at the last two trade deadlines, and very well could be in for more of the same in 2026-27. Quick has 409 career wins and three Stanley Cup rings. His legacy is set. Would he want to come back to be part of that?
Whenever he does hang up his skates, he will certainly be remembered as a Los Angeles King. He led the Kings to two Stanley Cups, won a Conn Smythe Trophy there, along with two Jennings Trophies, and there’s a statue of him outside Crypto.com Arena.
But his time with the Rangers is big, too. He’s had a few major milestones while playing for the team he grew up rooting for. He signed a bargain basement one-year contract as a free agent to join a cap-strapped Blueshirts team as a backup to Igor Shesterkin in the summer of 2023, and passed Ryan Miller for the most career wins by an American goalie, with his 392nd, as a Ranger in 2023-24. Then he signed a two-year extension, and he won his 400th game last season.
So some of his biggest achievements have come in a Blueshirt. And when the time comes to tell his story, it won’t be complete without the Rangers chapter.
Colin Stephenson covers the Rangers for Newsday. He has spent more than two decades covering the NHL and just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
