Rangers record-setting goalie named 2023-24 Masterton Trophy nominee
Jonathan Quick was named the New York Rangers nominee for the 2023-24 Bill Masterton Trophy on Friday. He is among 32 nominees for the annual award, one from each NHL team.
Since 1968, the Masterton Trophy has been awarded to the NHL player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey. The award is voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers Association. Each individual chapter nominates one player from each team and then the entire PHWA votes on the winner.
The award is named after former NHL forward Bill Masterton, who died from head injuries sustained in a game on Jan. 13, 1968, when playing for the Minnesota North Stars.
Quick has had a career resurgence this season, his first since signing as a free agent with the Rangers last July 1.
The 38-year-old goalie is 17-5-2 with a 2.54 goals-against average, .913 save percentage and two shutouts. He hasn’t had a GAA this low nor a save percentage this high since 2017-18, when he played for the Los Angeles Kings.
Quick started the season 9-0-1 and capably filled in when New York’s No. 1 goalie Igor Shesterkin was hurt early on. The three-time Stanley Cup champion again took the reins around the All-Star break when Shesterkin was working on his game with goalie coach Benoit Allaire.
Inside the Numbers: Jonathan Quick’s historic NHL career
Rangers goalie Jonathan Quick earns Masterton Trophy nomination
Last weekend, Quick earned his 392nd victory in the NHL. He passed Ryan Miller to become the winningest United States-born goalie and grabbed sole possession of 15th place on the all-time wins list in NHL history.
“He stands for everything being done the right way,” Rangers coach Peter Laviolette explained recently. “How you live your life, how you practice, how you play, what you say. He’s a great example for everybody.”
So impressed are the Rangers with Quick, that they signed him to a one-year contract extension through 2024-25. Shesterkin and Quick already have formed one of the best goalie tandems in Rangers history, just lacking the longevity shared by Ed Giacomin and Gilles Villemure, for example.
Quick is one of eight goalies nominated for the Masterton Trophy this season, including Connor Ingram (Arizona Coyotes), Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (Buffalo Sabres), Frederik Andersen (Carolina Hurricanes), Alex Lyon (Detroit Red Wings), Joey Daccord (seattle Kraken), Ilya Samsonov (Toronto Maple Leafs) and Laurent Brossoit (Winnipeg Jets).
Dominic Moore is the most recent Rangers player to win the Masterton Trophy, doing so in 2014. Jean Ratelle (1971), Rod Gilbert (1976), Anders Hedberg (1985) and Adam Graves (2001) also won the award when playing for the Rangers.
Former Blueshirts who won the Masterton when playing for other NHL teams include Brian Boyle (2018; New Jersey Devils), Jaromir Jagr (2016; Florida Panthers), Ian Laperriere (2011; Philadelphia Flyers), Bryan Berard (2004, Chicago Blackhawks), Jamie McClennan (1998; St. Louis Blues), Tony Granato (1997; San Jose Sharks), Pat LaFontaine (1995; Buffalo Sabres), Tim Kerr (1989; Flyers), Brad Park (1984; Detroit Red Wings) and Don Luce (1975; Sabres).
Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang won the Masterton Trophy last season.
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