"So far, Jonathan has shown those traits in college and he's shown signs of it here, that he rises to the occasion and he doesn't let bad goals get to him."
The next step for Quick is playing on the world stage. He's likely to be the third goalie on the U.S. Olympic team at the Vancouver Games, which Ranford sees as a good opportunity.
"I was fortunate enough to represent Canada a few times and any time you can play against the best and even be around the best it's a real good experience," Ranford said.
It should help Quick prepare for the heightened expectations he and the Kings will face.
"The first half of the season is the easy part. Great teams really buckle down in the last half," Ranford said. "This will be a real good test for not only him but for the rest of our team."
Quick says he feels refreshed by the eight-day break that ends Saturday at Phoenix, and it's a good thing because when his daughter is born, sleep will be precious -- and he won't need that clanging alarm clock anymore.
twitter.com/helenenothelen
