Post by Asbjørn Nygård on May 30, 2019 22:25:08 GMT -5
How Quick(ly) Things Change
by Asbjørn Nygård
In August, 2015 the Stockholm Syndrome made a big splash in free agency by signing goalie Jonathan Quick to a 5-year, $120 deal that was supposed to secure in them in net for years to come. At the time Quick was coming off a season that saw him win 36 games with a GAA of 2.24 and a SV% of .918. He was as good as any goalie in the sport and Syndrome fans were excited to see him join the team. Quick's #32 jersey was one of the best selling jersey's in the DHL that season and was a common sight both at home and road games. Quick gave the Syndrome their monies worth that season with 40 wins, a 2.22 GAA and another .918 SV%. $24 seemed like a bargain.
The next season the team relocated to Atlanta to become the Thrashers and the new location brought injury issues for Quick as he was limited to just 17 games. When he did play he was still solid with eight wins, 2.26 GAA and a .917 SV%.
The following season, 2017-18, the team relocated one again to their current home in St. Roch to become the Hawks and Quick returned to form with 33 wins, a 2.40 GAA and a .921 SV%. Three years into his five year contract and Quick had put together two good years and one injury plagued season. The Syndrome/Thrashers/Hawks were happy with their investment and all looked good. He had given the franchise their monies worth in two of the three years and missed the other season due to injury.
Then came the 2018-19 season and suddenly, Quick seems severely overpaid. Last season saw Quick win just 16 games with a 3.38 GAA and a .888 SV%. Those numbers saw him actually get demoted to the AHL Atlanta Thrashers in favor of Jimmy Howard, a player on a $1 deal for just one year. Quick, once the undisputed #1 goalie for the franchise, was now in the minors and his future was in doubt.
While there was discussion on St. Roch talk radio and online that Quick could be bought out this summer the organization itself was very tight-lipped during the season. Once the offseason began, though, the organization's tone changed Quick(ly) and not in Quick's favor. At a season ticket holder Q&A session in March, just after their regular season concluded, team owner Doug Stolhand seemed to be referencing both Quick and forward Corey Perry when he told fans, "(some) guys...cashed in and then quit trying". While that quote seems to accurately describe Corey Perry, who still has two years and $52 remaining on his five year, $130 contract, it seems a bit unfair to Quick who has battled injuries.
Hockey is a results driven business, though, and there's no argument that the results from Quick haven't been good enough in recent months. The question now is what the organization does going forward. Will they bite the bullet on Quick for one more season in hopes he can provide them with even decent goaltending or will they cut their losses and release him this summer? A trade would be ideal but seems unlikely given the fact that he sucks and is currently the fourth highest paid goalie in the Dynasty Hockey League.
"We're going to be patient with him," said Hawks Assistant General Manager Doug Armstrong. "We have no choice. I couldn't trade him at this point without giving up a ton of prospects, draft picks or ELC players to sweeten the deal at at that point we're hurting ourselves long-term. No, we're going to keep him through the remainder of his contract because we have to hope he is better next season and then we'll either have a good goalie or we'll have someone we can trade. A year from now, though, he's gone and will never be our problem again."
Hawks head coach Doug Weight was asked if he was comfortable putting Quick in the crease to start the 2019-20 season and was clear with his response. "Absolutely not. If he's our number one goalie we're screwed. Screwed. I hope to Thor that we're able to sign another goalie in free agency or trade to get one because I'm not comfortable with Quick as our number one goalie. He's gotta be #2A at best."
With the Hawks still working on a long-term approach to competing for a title the plan seems to be to let Quick play one more season and then let him walk as a free agent. As it stands now Quick has been good two years of his contract, injured one of the years and awful one of the years. The 2019-20 season will determine if he was a good investment back in 2015 or if that was a mistake that would cost the team for years to come."
-30-
by Asbjørn Nygård
In August, 2015 the Stockholm Syndrome made a big splash in free agency by signing goalie Jonathan Quick to a 5-year, $120 deal that was supposed to secure in them in net for years to come. At the time Quick was coming off a season that saw him win 36 games with a GAA of 2.24 and a SV% of .918. He was as good as any goalie in the sport and Syndrome fans were excited to see him join the team. Quick's #32 jersey was one of the best selling jersey's in the DHL that season and was a common sight both at home and road games. Quick gave the Syndrome their monies worth that season with 40 wins, a 2.22 GAA and another .918 SV%. $24 seemed like a bargain.
The next season the team relocated to Atlanta to become the Thrashers and the new location brought injury issues for Quick as he was limited to just 17 games. When he did play he was still solid with eight wins, 2.26 GAA and a .917 SV%.
The following season, 2017-18, the team relocated one again to their current home in St. Roch to become the Hawks and Quick returned to form with 33 wins, a 2.40 GAA and a .921 SV%. Three years into his five year contract and Quick had put together two good years and one injury plagued season. The Syndrome/Thrashers/Hawks were happy with their investment and all looked good. He had given the franchise their monies worth in two of the three years and missed the other season due to injury.
Then came the 2018-19 season and suddenly, Quick seems severely overpaid. Last season saw Quick win just 16 games with a 3.38 GAA and a .888 SV%. Those numbers saw him actually get demoted to the AHL Atlanta Thrashers in favor of Jimmy Howard, a player on a $1 deal for just one year. Quick, once the undisputed #1 goalie for the franchise, was now in the minors and his future was in doubt.
While there was discussion on St. Roch talk radio and online that Quick could be bought out this summer the organization itself was very tight-lipped during the season. Once the offseason began, though, the organization's tone changed Quick(ly) and not in Quick's favor. At a season ticket holder Q&A session in March, just after their regular season concluded, team owner Doug Stolhand seemed to be referencing both Quick and forward Corey Perry when he told fans, "(some) guys...cashed in and then quit trying". While that quote seems to accurately describe Corey Perry, who still has two years and $52 remaining on his five year, $130 contract, it seems a bit unfair to Quick who has battled injuries.
Hockey is a results driven business, though, and there's no argument that the results from Quick haven't been good enough in recent months. The question now is what the organization does going forward. Will they bite the bullet on Quick for one more season in hopes he can provide them with even decent goaltending or will they cut their losses and release him this summer? A trade would be ideal but seems unlikely given the fact that he sucks and is currently the fourth highest paid goalie in the Dynasty Hockey League.
"We're going to be patient with him," said Hawks Assistant General Manager Doug Armstrong. "We have no choice. I couldn't trade him at this point without giving up a ton of prospects, draft picks or ELC players to sweeten the deal at at that point we're hurting ourselves long-term. No, we're going to keep him through the remainder of his contract because we have to hope he is better next season and then we'll either have a good goalie or we'll have someone we can trade. A year from now, though, he's gone and will never be our problem again."
Hawks head coach Doug Weight was asked if he was comfortable putting Quick in the crease to start the 2019-20 season and was clear with his response. "Absolutely not. If he's our number one goalie we're screwed. Screwed. I hope to Thor that we're able to sign another goalie in free agency or trade to get one because I'm not comfortable with Quick as our number one goalie. He's gotta be #2A at best."
With the Hawks still working on a long-term approach to competing for a title the plan seems to be to let Quick play one more season and then let him walk as a free agent. As it stands now Quick has been good two years of his contract, injured one of the years and awful one of the years. The 2019-20 season will determine if he was a good investment back in 2015 or if that was a mistake that would cost the team for years to come."
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