What Jonathan Quick has done this season has been remarkable.
What Jonathan Quick has done this season has been remarkable.
Goaltender Jonathan Quick has been nominated for the Masterton Trophy by the New York Rangers chapter of the PHWA.
The award is given to the NHL player who best exemplifies "perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey."
The 38-year-old has been a revelation this season, posting a 17-5-2 record with a 2.54 GAA and a .913 SV% in 25 appearances, his best numbers since the 2017-18 season.
It's a campaign that nobody could have expected from the grizzled veteran.
Last season, the Los Angeles Kings, the team Quick spent 16 years with -- winning the Conn Smythe Trophy and Stanley Cup in 2012 over the Rangers before adding another ring in 2014 after beating the New Jersey Devils -- traded him to the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Quick was having a miserable season, posting a 3.50 GAA and an .876 SV%, both career lows, in 31 appearances, and the Kings needed better.
Was this the end of Quick?
Not so fast. (get it? I'll see myself out)
Less than 48 hours after being dealt, the Blue Jackets flipped Quick to the Vegas Golden Knights, who had been dealing with goaltending injuries and needed an extra netminder.
Quick played 10 games for Vegas down the stretch, nine starts, recording a 3.13 GAA with a .901 SV%, before taking a back seat with Adin Hill stealing the show on their playoff path.
The result was Quick's third Stanley Cup ring.
After that roller coaster of a season, was it time for Quick to skate off into the sunset?
The Milford, Connecticut native had done it all at the NHL level, and it seemed that if he wanted to continue his career, it would be as a backup.
Quick decided not to retire, inking a one-year, $825,000 deal with the New York Rangers, his favorite team growing up.
How could he pass up on that opportunity?
Whether it was the bright lights of Broadway the belief in his ability, or both, Quick has turned back the clock this season, posting a 2.54 GAA with a .913 SV%, his best number since the 2017-18 season.
When Igor Shesterkin was going through his troubles, which lasted most of the first half, head coach Peter Laviolette relied on Quick, and more often than not, he answered the call with impressive performances.
His 17 wins are a testament to his team's performance, but his ability to close the door, which over the last handful of years -- especially last season with Los Angeles -- was a glaring issue that made many doubt No. 32's abilities.
Quick's latest win, an 8-5 defeat of the Arizona Coyotes on March 30, made him the winningest American-born goaltender in NHL history, passing Buffalo Sabres legend Ryan Miller with 392.
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It's been an impressive season, one that has shown determination, the importance of belief in oneself, and a reminder that when times are tough, you should get back up and keep fighting.
Quick's career won't be ending, not at least until after the 2024-25 season. He will be back with the Rangers next season, inking a one-year deal worth $1.275 million on March 3.
There will be incredible candidates up for this award, with every team nominating a player.
Whether Quick wins the award, he is the epitome of what the Masterton Trophy is all about.