Rangers Counting on Jonathan Quick as Backup Goalie This Season:
After an impressive 2023-24 season with the New York Rangers, Jonathan Quick is once again expected to play a crucial backup role this season. The team aims to win games while keeping their star goalie, Igor Shesterkin, well-rested in the highly competitive Metropolitan Division.
Quick’s Performance With the Rangers in 2023-24:
The Rangers took a chance by signing Quick to a one-year, $825,000 contract last offseason, despite his struggles in the 2022-23 season with the Los Angeles Kings and Vegas Golden Knights. That season, Quick posted a 16-15-6 record, an .882 save percentage (SV%), a 3.41 goals-against average (GAA), and a minus-23.6 goals saved above average (GSAA). However, Quick had a strong start with the Rangers, stopping 18 of 19 shots in a 4-1 victory over the Seattle Kraken on October 21 and recording a 3-0 shutout against the Edmonton Oilers on October 26. He continued to shine by making several spectacular saves in a 5-4 shootout loss to the Minnesota Wild, where he stopped 35 of 39 shots and kept the team competitive despite being outplayed.
Quick then won seven consecutive starts before losing five straight during a Rangers slump, though his performance remained solid, giving the team a chance to win in each game. He maintained his steady play throughout the season, even during the team’s ups and downs. Quick finished strong, winning nine of his final 11 starts and allowing two goals or fewer in five of those games. His ability to read plays and avoid soft goals, along with his timely saves in close games, were crucial. Although Shesterkin excelled in the postseason, limiting Quick’s playoff appearances, his regular season contributions helped the Rangers clinch the Presidents’ Trophy for the NHL’s best record.
Quick ended the season with an 18-6-2 record, a .911 SV%, a 2.62 GAA, and 5.5 GSAA.
Jonathan Quick
Louis Domingue & Dylan Garand:
The Rangers extended Quick’s contract by one year for $1.275 million, hoping for a repeat of his solid performance. However, at 38, there is concern that he could face difficulties similar to those in 2022-23. If that happens, or if Quick or Shesterkin gets injured, the Rangers have internal options. Louis Domingue, who played for the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League (AHL) last season, posted a 16-8-4 record, a .909 SV%, and a 2.66 GAA. He also stopped 25 of 26 shots in his lone NHL appearance, leading the Rangers to a 4-1 win over the Wild on November 9. The 32-year-old has a solid NHL backup experience, with a 60-60-10 record, a .905 SV%, and a 3.02 GAA.
Dylan Garand, a 2020 fourth-round pick, also had a solid season with the Wolf Pack. The 22-year-old finished with a 16-17-5 record, a .898 SV%, and a 3.03 GAA. He previously had three strong seasons with the Kamloops Blazers of the Western Hockey League (WHL), posting a .921 SV% in 2019-20 and 2020-21, and a .925 SV% in 2021-22.
Domingue and Garand each have a chance to become the Rangers’ number three goalie by performing well in the preseason and the AHL regular season.
Looking Forward:
The Rangers can feel confident with Shesterkin as their starting goalie. Quick’s reliability last season was a significant asset, and if he continues that level of play, it will be a big advantage for the team. If Quick struggles, Domingue and Garand are solid options for the backup role. Regardless, the Rangers will need strong performances from their backup goalie, especially considering Shesterkin’s past injuries, to avoid overusing their star netminder.
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