Several of the Rangers who suited up in front of Jonathan Quick on Monday night in Newark were in preschool or kindergarten when the 38-year-old netminder made his NHL debut nearly 17 years ago.
Eight of them have yet to break into the league, which Quick has made his mark on as the winningest U.S.-born goalie and a three-time Stanley Cup champion with two teams.
It was probably just happenstance that Quick got a full game in the third-to-last Rangers exhibition contest on Monday, when the Devils varsity players were in Czechia for the NHL’s Global Series and turned it into a Hartford Wolf Pack-Utica Comets AHL tuneup.
But prospects don’t always get a chance to play alongside one of the best to ever do it at their position.
“It’s an honor for me to have him in the net [behind me],” Adam Sykora told The Post outside the visiting locker room at Prudential Center on Monday night, his blue eyes popping and his smile stretching at the mention of Quick.
“It’s good for me, too. I can learn from him, not as a goalie, but like personality and everything from him. It’s a good opportunity for me to learn from him a lot.”
Last August, when Quick was just getting acquainted with the Rangers organization after signing a one-year deal as a free agent from the Golden Knights, Sykora said he shot on Quick at informal skates and they developed a nice little relationship.
Quick has made just as much of an impact on the Rangers dressing room as he has on the ice in his short New York tenure.
Not only have he and his wife taken the initiative to plan team gatherings, but the Quicks have also offered to house Matt Rempe for the season.
It’s certainly part of the reason why Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury locked him up for this season in March.
“He certainly played well, gave us a chance,” Rangers coach Peter Laviolette said of Quick’s 25-save performance in Monday’s 3-1 loss. “I think there’s some things we could’ve done better in front of Quickie, but you’re right, young kids coming to the rink, and they’re playing in front of a soon-to-be Hall-of-Famer.”
Quick memorably allowed 11 goals on 57 shots during his first preseason with the Blueshirts, but the Connecticut native went on to have a strong 2023-24 season that was crucial to the club’s Presidents’ Trophy-winning campaign.
In addition to finishing with a 2.62 goals-against average and a .911 save percentage, Quick stepped up while No. 1 goalie Igor Shesterkin recalibrated around the All-Star break.
Like most veterans, Quick said he’s trying to make the most of the game situations he sees in the preseason.
Focusing on five-on-five and making his reads, Quick is just looking to get the kind of reps he couldn’t in the summer.
Not much can be new about preseason at this point in Quick’s career.
Not even playing alongside youngsters who have grown up watching him.
“I think everyone is coming into training camp with the same attitude,” Quick said. “I don’t care how long you’ve played in this league. You’re trying to prove that you belong here. For guys that haven’t made it out of camp yet, they’re doing the same. Everybody’s pretty much on the same page.”
