Jonathan Quick’s progression from a good goalie to an elite one came on as public a stage as possible.
While the Los Angeles Kings goalie didn’t win the Vezina, few would quibble with Quick’s Conn Smythe + Stanley Cup combo.
To cap things off, the Kings made sure they wouldn’t lose Quick by signing him to a contract extension that’s relatively cheap ($5.8 million cap hit) and risky (10-year deal) at the same time.
Life’s been great for Quick, but it begs the question: can he match or even top last season?
Negatives
- His career stats are modest (.916 save percentage, 2.30 GAA) compared to his breakthrough run.
- The two most recent dominant single seasons by Tim Thomas and Ryan Miller were followed by considerable letdowns. (Though Thomas’ issues were largely off the ice.)
- Long-term contracts are risky to begin with, but they seem especially harsh for goalies.
Positives
- Quick is in his prime at 26.
- The same stout Kings lineup will remain more or less intact.
- Darryl Sutter won’t take kindly to a lack of focus.
- There’s at least one obvious goal beyond defending the Cup: a Vezina trophy.
Wild card?
- If Jonathan Bernier isn’t traded, he could either provide Quick with competition or steal some starts. (Or a little of both.)
Related
