For Quick, it goes back to 1994

One of the great things about sports is the generational aspect. Every 20-something player in the NHL right now was, not too long ago, a child, watching their hockey heroes, dreaming one day of being in the same position. Right now, kids everywhere are watching the Kings and New Jersey Devils, and in perhaps a dozen years are so, some of those kids will be in the NHL. Eighteen years ago, 8-year-old Jonathan Quick watched his hero, Mike Richter, help the New York Rangers win the Stanley Cup in 1994. Quick grew up in Milford, Conn., approximately 70 miles northeast of New York City.

Quick, who by nature doesn’t particularly enjoy being the center of public attention, opened up a bit as he talked about having Richter’s poster on his bedroom wall. Quick identified traits in Richter — “very competitive, very explosive, competes, battles’’ — that many people would attribute to Quick as well. Asked for his memories of the 1994 Finals, when the Rangers beat the Vancouver Canucks, Quick recalled having a few friends over at his house, “eating ice pops, watching the game.’’

“I just think I was more nervous back then than I am right now for the games,’’ Quick said. “Obviously you watch all the games throughout the playoffs there. I think the save in Game 6 that Richter made on Pavel Bure was more (memorable) than anything that happened in Game 7. I was really excited for them to win.’’

Reminded that, right now, there are kids looking up to him the same way he looked up to Richter, Quick said, “Yeah, I don’t put too much into that. Just kind of focus on what you’re doing. You don’t really put much time into thinking about that. When you put it that way, it’s pretty cool.’’