Quick gets oriented with Team USA

I also read somewhere, I think TSN, that Tim Thomas is rooming with him and said Quick is getting married in two weeks? I wish him and his new wife the best if that's so.

Guess he doesn't hang out with Jarret Stoll much. (Couldn't resist).

Also, I never got to hear the full story about Quick's helmet. I heard bits and pieces about Lombardi being upset with Quick's helment for the picture on the back. Can anyone fill me in? What was on his helmet that Dean didn't like? Thanks!

Cynic -- that was a cheap shot regarding Jared Stall, but still funny.

If you happened not to read the article on Quick, here's what Ryan Miller had to say about him;

He likes what he's seen of Quick.

"It's hard not to make the pun, but he's quick on the ice," said Miller. "He's very agile.

"He's strong. You see a lot of good instincts in him. It's going to be fun to see him progress."

Quick is rooming with Thomas at the team hotel, no doubt a good mentoring experience.

Can do nothing but help Quick to room with Thomas, regardless of whether he makes the team or not.

Cynic,

Re: Lombardi's comment about Quick's mask

Here's the quote from Helene Elliott of the LA Times:

"But General Manager Dean Lombardi jokingly said he doesn't like Quick's mask, which is decorated in the back with an artist's rendering of palm trees and a goalie silhouetted against a California sunset. The front is painted to resemble a knight's visor."

"This mask does not make me very happy. I'm not sure I like the palm trees," Lombardi said. "Should they be expressing themselves like that, with that on their head? Why shouldn't every player be allowed to put his favorite famous rock star on his helmet?"

Full article at: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/sports_blog/2008/12/kings-update--1.html

The real quote of note is this:
"Then (thomas) added with a laugh: 'It's been nice though. If (Quick) could just quit yelling in his sleep, we'd be fine.'"

1: I don't get what's wrong with Quick's helmet? So it's got palm trees on it. So what?

2: You guys talk about Tim Thomas like he's the second coming of Terry Sawchuck. The guy was a journeyman 2 years ago who only got the starting job because he was the best of the worst in Boston. Hannu Toivonen & Manny Fernandez were supposed to start in front of him, but Toivonen sucked and Fernandez got hurt. He only won the Vezina last year because Brodeur was hurt all season. So I don't see how rooming with him can be so beneficial to a young goalie trying to make his mark in the NHL. What's he going to learn? How to be a backup/AHL goalie until he's 35 years old?

Just heard an interesting interview on NHL This Morning on XM Radio about the Olympics. Two topics the host Scott Laughlin covered with Sean Wood from NHL.com were whether Jack Johnson or Jonathon Quick would make the Olympics.

On Jack Johnson, Laughlin stated that a lot of speculation was going around that Johnson wasn't good enough to make the Olympic team. Wood replied that he thought Jack was getting a lot more consideration then some "experts" thought, and Wood thought Jack had a pretty good chance.

Regarding Quick, the speculation has long been that he was only invited to the camp because DiPietro is hurt, and that DiPietro would be going to the Olympics once he recovers. Wood says he doesn't think DiPietro will be ready in time to go to the Olympics so he pretty much expects Quick to go as the #3 goalie and "understudy" even if DiPietro is healthy.

KingsCast:

Thanks for that info! This has been bugging me for a while as when I first heard the story, there was something thrown in about it being degrading to women. Strange, I know, but that is what I read. Having never got an answer to this and seeing that Quick was getting married in 2 weeks brought it to the forefront again. Rich's article here gave me a nice avenue to ask the question. Nice to have the truth regarding this matter.

I can fully understand why Deano wouldn't like the mask. If he's trying to build a hockey culture, palm trees won't do it, as it certainly doesn't work for the Panthers or Roberto Luongo:
http://forums.floridapanthers.com/lofiversion/index.php/t5659.html
Check out the shoulder patch and the side of Luongo's helmet.

Thanks again for posting the blog link!

..and yeah Jet, definitely a cheap shot, like I said, I couldn't resist. I'll bet Rachel Hunter wouldn't think so though...;-)

I'm glad to see Quick get more attention. I think he really held everything together for the Kings last season. I understand he was a rookie and one season doesn't make a starter, but I think he's the real deal. I play goal and see his moves...outstanding. I didn't see that with other past King goalies. To come in as a rookie and do as well as he did, doesn't get enough credit. I can kind of understand why Kings fans seem reluctant to show a lot of support to any goalie given our past goalies..Dan (who's last name is actually a curse word), Barb's,...just to name a few. Reading the blog though, I get tired of hearing Bernie is our future. No, how about Quick? He's hear now and has many years to go. Mark my word, he's going to be great.

I don't see any problem with Quick's mask. I kind of like it.

http://ingoalmag.com/masks/goalie-mask-art-jonathan-quick-la-kings/

I think this experience will be very beneficial to Quick. This can only help his confidence.

Palm trees are symbolic of LA. I look outside, I see palm trees. So what?

I can understand that Deano doesn't want his hockey players to be seduced by a beach-holiday lifestyle, but maybe Deano can help us all by thinking of a more ferocious symbol of Los Angeles for his goalie to put on his mask. Good luck on that one.

Maybe DLs concerns originate from Clouts not being able to stop a beach ball?