Rangers’ Jonathan Quick doesn’t want to be traded despite retool

As the roster freeze lifts on Monday, the New York Rangers are primed to be active sellers ahead of the March 6 NHL trade deadline. General manager Chris Drury has already begun restructuring the roster, moving defenseman Carson Soucy to the New York Islanders and dealing All-Star winger Artemi Panarin to the Los Angeles Kings. Sitting at 22-29-6 and last in the Eastern Conference, the Rangers are 19 points behind the Boston Bruins for the second wild card, making further roster moves likely.

Despite the sell-off, veteran goaltender Jonathan Quick has made it clear he does not want to be moved.

“I’m happy here. I want to be here,” Quick told the New York Post after practice on Thursday. “It means a lot to me to wear this jersey.”

The 40-year-old pending unrestricted free agent controls a 20-team no-trade clause and reiterated earlier this week that he intends to honor his contract.

“When I signed the contract, I planned on honoring the contract,” Quick told the Post. “The focus is always where you’re at and what you’re doing currently. That’s where the focus has been and will continue to be.”

Quick signed with New York in the summer of 2023 and later agreed to consecutive one-year deals, including a $1.55 million contract on March 12 for the 2025-26 season.

Boasting two Stanley Cups and 408 wins, 12th all-time among goaltenders and second among active goalies, Quick has plenty of hardware. Over his first two seasons with the Rangers, he went .903 in save percentage with five shutouts in 46 starts while playing second fiddle to Igor Shesterkin.

This season has been more challenging. With Vezina-winning netminder Shesterkin sidelined since January 5 due to a lower-body injury suffered in the same game that also injured Adam Fox, Quick has taken on a heavier workload. In 20 appearances, including 19 starts, he owns a 4-14-1 record, a 3.10 goals-against average, and a .890 save percentage. New York managed just three wins in their final 18 games (3-13-2) before the Olympic break.

While contenders seeking experienced depth could view his $1.55 million cap hit as manageable, Quick’s contractual control complicates any potential deal. Other Rangers reportedly drawing interest include Vincent Trocheck, Braden Schneider, Alexis Lafreniere, and Sam Carrick.

With Shesterkin returning to full practice and nearing a comeback, Quick may soon shift back into a backup role. Whether Drury prioritizes asset management or respects the veteran’s preference will become clearer as the trade deadline approaches.

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