On Facebook
On Flipboard
On Twitter
There were a lot of naysayers when the New York Rangers signed Jonathan Quick as an unrestricted free agent (UFA) after the 2022-23 season.
Many people pointed out that he was getting older, that his skills were diminishing, and that his best days were well behind him. They may have had a point about two of those three opinions as Quick was going into last season as a 37-year-old and his last season with the Los Angeles Kings and Vegas Golden Knights was not a good one as he posted a 16-15-0-6 record with a goals-against average of over 3.00 and a save percentage under .900.
Well, Quick went out and showed everyone that he could still be a top-flight goaltender in the NHL. Last season, he went 18-6-0-2 with a 2.62 goals-against average, a .911 save percentage, and two shutouts.
More importantly, Quick kept the Rangers afloat as the team’s starting goaltender, Igor Shesterkin, struggled to find his game. While Shesterkin was working on getting his game in order, Quick went between the pipes and won a lot of hockey games, made a lot of big saves, and showed both the Rangers and the rest of the league that he had a lot left in the tank.
Both Quick and the Blueshirts were smart to agree to a one-year extension in March of last season. It was clear at that point that both Quick and the Rangers realized that they had a great thing going and that there was no reason to not continue it.
It appears that much like last season, Quick has again turned back the clock and has provided stellar goaltending for the Rangers. As of this writing (Saturday night, November 9), Quick is 3-0 with a 1.17 goals-against average, a .964 save percentage, and one shutout.
Yes, Quick has only appeared in three games this season and has not played against top-tier hockey clubs. With that said, Quick did a lot for the Rangers in those games as his team did not play well defensively in any of them and they gave up a lot of quality scoring chances in each game.
Here is what Quick has done in each of the games he has started for the team this season:
- Thursday, October 17 against the Detroit Wings: Stopped 29 of 31 shots and got the win.
- Saturday, October 26 against the Anaheim Ducks: Stopped 32 of 33 shots and got the win.
- Saturday, November 9 against the Detroit Red Wings: 37-save shutout.
There are several reasons why Quick is off to another great start for the Rangers this season. For starters, his flexibility is amazing.
Despite getting up there in age, Quick is still explosive between the pipes. He is great at going side-to-side, can still do the splits to rob opponents, is great at stopping shots from the slot, and never gives up on the puck because of what he can do with his body.
Secondly, Quick provides a veteran presence in the crease. He knows when to slow things down, has a confident attitude when in goal, and is someone who the team has a lot of confidence in when it comes to making big saves when they need them.
That has already been the case a few times this season. In his team’s 2-1 win over the Ducks back on Saturday, October 26, Quick had to make several big saves to not only keep his team in the game, but also to help them win it.
Rangers head coach Peter Laviolette agreed with the above when talking to Wes Crosby of NHL.com after the game.
“I thought we played a pretty good game,” New York coach Peter Laviolette said. “They’re a good team, they create a lot, and I thought we defended pretty well. ‘Quicky’ made some big saves when he needed to, made some big saves at the end of the game.”
Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren echoed Laviolette’s thoughts regarding Quick’s play between the pipes that night.
“Nice to get the win. Nice to get a goal,” Lindgren said. “We still gave up, maybe, too many chances. ‘Quicky’ had to make too many highlight-reel saves. But all in all, I thought it was a good effort by us.”
Lastly, Quick is just a good goalie in general. He has won three Stanley Cups (2012 and 2014 with the Los Angeles Kings and 2023 with the Vegas Golden Knights), a Conn Smythe Trophy as the league’s most valuable player in the Stanley Cup playoffs (2012), has played in the All-Star Game three times (2012, 2016, and 2018), and was a Second Team NHL All-Star (2012).
As such, Quick’s success to start this season should not come as a surprise to anyone. He still makes a lot of great saves, he gives the Rangers a chance to win every night when he is between the pipes, and he is still someone who can play like a number one goaltender.
The Rangers should count their lucky stars that they signed Quick because he has been nothing but a star since joining their franchise.
More must-reads:
- Blue Jackets' extension talks with young star will have major impact on salary
- Dolphins OLBs coach Ryan Crow arrested on domestic battery charge
- The 'Most 1,000-rushing yard NFL seasons' quiz
Breaking News
Trending News
Customize Your Newsletter
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!
TODAY'S BEST
The Dallas Stars just locked up a defenseman built for playoff wars, and he's only getting started
Blue Jackets' extension talks with young star will have major impact on salary
There’s no question that the Columbus Blue Jackets have one of the cleanest cap tables in the league, especially for how competitive they’re expected to be in the 2025-26 season. Still, as their younger players continue to age, the Blue Jackets are getting closer to potentially having to make difficult decisions, and their extension negotiations with Adam Fantilli will have a major impact on their salary hierarchy moving forward. Despite having a somewhat disappointing rookie season, albeit limited by injuries, the third overall pick of the 2024 NHL Draft responded well last season, scoring 31 goals and 54 points in 82 games while averaging 17:29 of ice time per game. Fantilli still needs to improve in the faceoff dot and on the defensive side of the puck, but being a 30-goal scorer at 20 years old is nothing to scoff at. In a recent interview with James Murphy of RG Media, Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell spoke about the upcoming negotiations with Fantilli, saying, "We’re going to talk here in the next couple of weeks. Pat Brisson is his agent, and we’re going to do some face-to-face meetings. When these kinds of players are up and these kinds of deals need to be made, I think you need to be in front of each other. I think you make a lot more progress than just over the phone. So that’s always been my theory, and Pat’s the same way. I’ve done a lot of deals over the years with Pat, so we’ll be fine and sit down face-to-face and get this done. As we get closer to training camp, I think we’ll be much further ahead, and we have some dates already planned that we’ll meet, so let’s go from there.” There technically shouldn’t be any rush on Columbus’s end, given that Fantilli is a few years away from even becoming arbitration-eligible. Still, for the sake of cost certainty and having one of its core pieces locked up long-term, the Blue Jackets are eyeing a long-term extension with Fantilli in the coming weeks. Waddell also spoke about a separate extension this offseason. On the eve of free agency this summer, Columbus re-signed defenseman Ivan Provorov to a seven-year, $59.5M contract, which represented only a $1.75M yearly increase on his previous deal. Despite reports at the time indicating that Provorov might seek a larger deal on the open market, Waddell explained in the interview that there was no real concern he’d leave the organization. Murphy quoted Waddell, saying, “Well, the good thing is I was in dialogue regularly with Mark Andler, his agent, and there’s a lot of outside noise, but Mark kept telling me, and Provorov too, that his first choice was to stay here in Columbus.” Waddell explained that although Provorov’s cap hit may seem high, he believes it will look more favorable as the salary cap increases. Additionally, Provorov’s preparation for each season is expected to enhance his longevity throughout the duration of the contract. Lastly, Waddell touched on his excitement over the depth the Blue Jackets brought in this summer, particularly on offense. The team specifically targeted Charlie Coyle as a right-handed center and believes his leadership skills will prove a boon to the younger players on the roster. Meanwhile, the team’s general manager also remarked about the skill level of Miles Wood on the offensive side of the puck and Isac Lundeström’s skill on the defensive side of the puck. All three additions are expected to maintain important roles for the Blue Jackets this season and help the team return to the postseason for the first time since the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs.
Phillies' Kyle Schwarber makes all kinds of MLB history vs. Braves
Kyle Schwarber made sure his Philadelphia Phillies bounced back after being swept by the New York Mets earlier this week. Schwarber went 4-for-6 with four home runs and nine RBI in Philadelphia's 19-4 win over the Atlanta Braves on Thursday. His first home run of the night came in the first inning, a solo shot for his 46th of the season. In the fourth inning, the three-time All-Star blasted his second home run of the night (47), this time a two-run knock. Schwarber’s third long ball came in the following frame, with his 48th being a three-run homer. Finally, in the seventh inning, Schwarber hit his fourth home run (49) of the night to right field to come within one dinger of 50 for the season. The 32-year-old made all kinds of history on Thursday against the Phillies’ division rival. He already surpassed his previous career high for home runs in a single season, but also became just the fourth player in franchise history to have four homers in a game and the first since Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt did so in 1976. Additionally, Schwarber is only the 21st player in MLB history to achieve this feat, and the fifth player all-time with at least four homers and nine RBI in a game. Plus, Schwarber joined the Athletics’ Nick Kurtz and Seattle Mariners’ Eugenio Suarez as the only players to have a four-homer game this season — the first time this has occurred. Clearly, Schwarber and the Phillies were anxious to get out of Queens and return to Philadelphia. The Phillies’ offense scored just eight runs across the three-game set against the Mets. They scored 19 runs off the Braves’ pitching at Citizens Bank Park. Schwarber received “MVP” chants from Phillies fans on Thursday, and rightfully so. He’s on his way to breaking Ryan Howard’s previous franchise record of 58 home runs in a season, which earned him the 2006 National League MVP.
Jelena Ostapenko responds to racism allegations after post-match confrontation with Taylor Townsend
A heated post-match exchange between former World No. 5 Jelena Ostapenko and Taylor Townsend marred an otherwise action-filled fourth day of the U.S. Open on Wednesday. After Townsend defeated the 2017 French Open champion in straight sets, 7-5, 6-1, Ostapenko accused her opponent of unsportsmanlike conduct, pointing out that the American didn't apologize when a net cord helped her win a crucial point earlier in the match. The Latvian wrote on social media that Townsend "was very disrespectful" and didn't show the proper etiquette expected of a pro tennis player. "If she plays in her homeland, it doesn’t mean that she can behave and do whatever she wants," she wrote in a scathing address of Townsend. Townsend offered more details on their post-match confrontation, which led to some suggesting she was racially targeted. "She told me I have no class and no education, and to see what happens if we play each other outside the U.S.," Townsend revealed. Townsend refused to call Ostapenko a racist. "I didn't take it in that way," she said, via BBC. "But also that has been a stigma in our community of being not educated, and all of the things, when it's the furthest thing from the truth. Whether it had racial undertones or not, that's something she can speak on." Ostapenko was widely lambasted on social media, with even World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka asking her to control her emotions. The under-attack Latvian responded to allegations of her being a racist, while reaffirming her stance on Townsend disrespecting her during the match. "I was never racist in my life and I respect all nations of people in the world, for me it doesn't matter where you come from," she wrote on social media. Townsend will next face Russian teenage prodigy Mirra Andreeva in the third round. The World No. 46 American is trying to reach the fourth round of her home major for the first time since 2019.
Aaron Nola quietly made Phillies history amid Kyle Schwarber's big night
While Kyle Schwarber stole the show on Thursday with his four home runs, Aaron Nola made some franchise history of his own. The longtime Philadelphia Phillies right-hander surpassed 2008 NLCS and World Series MVP Cole Hamels (1,844) for third on the team’s all-time strikeout list with 1,845 punchouts. Nola’s historic strikeout came against Ronald Acuna Jr. in the sixth inning on a 79 mph curveball. Overall, he struck out four across six innings, allowing four runs on four hits and three walks. It wasn't the cleanest final line, but the Phillies’ offense supplied plenty of run support in a 19-4 win over the Atlanta Braves. Philadelphia's longest-tenured player recently returned from a rare three-month stint on the injured list. He has a 6.47 ERA in 12 starts this season, with 66 Ks in 64 innings. So, being able to accomplish this career milestone must feel good. Nola achieved the feat across 280 career starts — all with Philadelphia, who drafted him in the first round of the 2014 MLB Draft out of LSU. The 32-year-old made his big league debut in 2015. The one-time All-Star has compiled a solid 11-year career thus far as one of the most durable pitchers in the league. He owns a 107-86 record alongside a 3.81 ERA, six complete games and four shutouts. Nola is now just 26 strikeouts away from overtaking Robin Roberts (1,871) for second place on the Phillies’ all-time list. Steve Carlton has the most Ks in franchise history by a wide margin with 3,031.
PRIVACY POLICY EDITORIAL POLICY CONTACT US
ABOUT YARDBARKER TERMS OF SERVICE
Use of this website (including any and all parts and
components) constitutes your acceptance of these
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
This site is for entertainment purposes only.
There is no gambling offered on this site.
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler.
