Jonathan Quick is calling it a career. When the New York Rangers take on the Florida Panthers in Sunrise, Quick will put on the pads for one last time in the NHL. Though the news bring sadness to New York, it also makes Mike Sullivan’s job easier as the Blueshirts had to make a goaltending decision ahead of the 2026-27 campaign.
Although the Rangers signaled they had seen enough from rookie Dylan Garand this season, the young goalie had earned his spot on the lineup and was set to compete for the backup role in 2026-27. With Quick out of the picture, Garand could be set to run away with that job in the upcoming training camp and preseason.
However, the Rangers could still shock the NHL—and the world. After all, they’ve grown their fans accustomed to such eyebrow-raising decisions, especially when it comes to rookies or young players, as the Rangers recently saved $80,000 by pulling a controversial move involving Drew Fortescue.
Perhaps the front office has another trick up its sleeve, and Garand’s spot behind Igor Shesterkin in the 2026–27 season is not as certain as it seems after Quick announced his retirement. As it stands, it feels unlikely. But who knows? Maybe the Rangers sign a backup in free agency, and continue to put Garand under evaluation.
The NY Rangers goaltending trio in 2025-26: Quick, Shesterkin, and Garand.
Quick confirms he made his decision a while ago
While he didn’t make his intentions public until now, there was a loud buzz around Quick’s future in the NHL. The 40-year-old goalie admitted he made his decision some time ago. As the Rangers struggled dearly to find their footing all season long, he chose not to make it public so as to avoid adding another layer to an already drama-filled year in Manhattan.
New York played its cards close to the chest, and even though Quick’s retirement announcement didn’t shock anybody, it was still news when released rather than the confirmation of an open secret.
“As we kind of got towards the end of the season here, I let Chris [Drury] and [Mike Sullivan] know,” Quick stated, via Mollie Walker of New York Post. “Just so they can plan accordingly. I’m grateful for them. They’ve helped me out through this process. They let me know which games I’m going to start so I can make sure to get the family there and stuff like that.”
Quick’s accolades
As he gears up for his last dance in the NHL, Quick walks away with one of the best goaltending careers in league history. It’s obviously a subjective question, but Quick is considered the best American goalie of all time by many fans. Against the Panthers, he gets one last chance to add another win to his career total.
So far, Quick has won 410 games—second most by an active goalie, behind Sergei Bobrovsky, and 12th most in league history. Unfortunately for the cinematic effect, Daniil Tarasov will be in net for Florida tonight. That means there won’t be a final showdown between the two leading active goalies in wins in the NHL.
Quick hangs up the trapper and blocker with three Stanley Cup championships, two William M. Jennings, and a Conn Smythe Trophy on his resume. Fans in Sunrise will be treated to Quick’s last act in the NHL, in a game that would otherwise only have Draft Lottery implications for the two sides involved.
| JONATHAN QUICK’S CAREER STATS | |
| SAVE PERCENTAGE (SV%) | .910 |
| GOALS AGAINST AVERAGE (GAA) | 2.51 |
| SHUTOUTS | 65 |
| WINS | 410 |
| GAMES PLAYED | 828 |
