With Jaroslav Halák set to test free agency, according to his agent Allen Walsh, the Rangers had to pivot to find a backup for Igor Shesterkin.
Jonathan Quick is highly likely to sign with the Rangers
According to Kevin Weekes of ESPN, Jonathan Quick is “highly likely” to sign with the Rangers when free agency opens July 1st.
Quick, a Connecticut native, grew up rooting for the Blueshirts, so signing with them would be somewhat of a homecoming for the 37-year-old.
Quick’s professional hockey journey started in 2005 when the Los Angeles Kings selected him as the 72nd pick in the third round.
The Connecticut native spent some time in the ECHL and the AHL before making his NHL debut on December 6th, 2007, and never looked back.
Quick would play 15 and a half seasons for the Silver and Black, posting a 370-275-82 record, 2.46 goals-against average, and .911 save percentage. He would backstop the Kings to two Stanley Cups and win the Conn Smythe for his spectacular play during the 2012 playoffs.
In a surprising turn of events, however, the Kings traded Quick at this year’s deadline to the Columbus Blue Jackets for a package that included Vladislav Gavrikov and Joonas Korpisalo.
Quick would never suit up for the Blue Jackets, though, as they flipped him to the Vegas Golden Knights for Michael Hutchinson and a 2025 seventh-round pick.
In 10 games (9 starts) for Vegas, Quick went 5-2-2 with a 3.13 goals-against average and a .901 save percentage. Quick would not make any appearances for the Golden Knights in the playoffs but would get his third ring as the Black and Gold defeated the Florida Panthers in five games to capture the Stanley Cup.
What this means for the Rangers
Signing Quick would be an excellent move for the Rangers. While the 37-year-old isn’t quite the perennial Vezina Candidate anymore, he is still more than a serviceable backup whose playoff experience is extremely valuable.
If Shesterkin were to go down at any point this season, the Rangers should be confident that they could still win some games with Quick manning the crease.