USHS: Kevin Quick QA

McKeen's: How did you become interested in hockey? At what age did you start playing organized hockey?

Kevin Quick: My dad got me into hockey, I started skating when I was about 5 or 6 and I started to play organized hockey when I was about 7 or 8, always loved hockey.

McKeen's: Describe the type of game you play. What are your strengths? weaknesses?

Kevin Quick: I think I am an offensive defenseman, and also can play solid defense. I can join the rush and create an odd man advantage and still get back to play defense. My strengths would be passing, and skating. I think I am a good skater. My weaknesses would be I need to get bigger and stronger and this will help improve many areas of my game, and burying more of my chances.

McKeen's: What would you say is the most underrated facet to your game?

Kevin Quick: My physical play would be my most underrated facet of my game, I am not the most physical player but I do play physical and do have some big hits in games.

McKeen's: Which NHL player do you model your game after and why?

Kevin Quick: I model my game after Sergei Gonchar, I think he is the best defenseman in the NHL and he is an offensive guy who is a solid defenseman as well. He sees the ice very well and is always a threat to the other team when on the ice.

McKeen's: Who are the five most talented players you've played against and what specifically do you admire about their styles?

Kevin Quick:

Kyle Okposo – he is a good strong player who is tough to play against. He is a playmaker who plays both ends of the ice and is tough too, he doesn't always make the most fancy play but he gets the job done. I was also able to play with him this past summer and he is a great leader as well as a great hockey player.

Patrick Kane – best hands I have ever seen. Great playmaker who sees the ice very well. He is a player who makes others around him better players too, he is always a threat on the ice when he is out there. I also have been able to play with him growing up for a while and he is a lot of fun to play with because he uses all of his teammates and everyone somehow gets points when playing with him.

Kevin Montgomery – good defenseman who is offensive too. He has good size, good skater and he is a playmaking defenseman.

Billy Sauer – an amazing goalie who is a great kid off the ice too. He is a sound goalie who is consistent and we see that this year at Michigan. He holds teams in games and helped a lot in winning the nationals with the Buffalo Saints a few years ago.

Ryan Flynn – big kid who is a good hockey player. Is a lot like Okposo, he is tough to play against, is a playmaker, and plays both ends of the ice. Has a nice hard shot and always delivers it to the net.

McKeen's: How would you rate your performance at the U-18 tournament?

Kevin Quick: I thought I had a strong tournament I had a few points but I thought I played really well for us. I just played my game and thought I made some contributions to our team, but it was a lot of fun to play with those guys. Players like Kyle Okposo and Michael Forney are good hockey players and a lot of fun to play with.

McKeen's: The NHL Entry Draft will be coming up for you this year. Are you thinking about it at all?

Kevin Quick: Yea it is on my mind, it is pretty exciting too. But right now I am more concentrated on my Salisbury team and winning our Founders League title then preparing to win the New England Tournament. If we play the way we can, we should be a happy team at the end of the year. But right now with the draft it is on my mind, but Salisbury hockey is more important right now.

McKeen's: If you were drafted, what team would be your preference?

Kevin Quick: Just being drafted is good enough; it is an honor and quite an achievement to be drafted. But if I had to choose a team it would probably be somewhere south where it is warm. Just being drafted is quite the accomplishment though.

McKeen's: What do you focus on during off-season training?

Kevin Quick: During the off-season when training and working I look to improve my leg strength and my agility the most. When just hanging out with friends during the off-season I like to just relax at the beach or something along those lines. But off-season involves a lot of working out and improving areas of my game that need to be improved.

McKeen's: What was it like to play against the Women's USA Olympic Team?

Kevin Quick: It was very exciting and interesting, at first I didn't know what to expect with no hitting and playing women. It was a lot of fun though, they are good hockey players and they can pass the puck better than any other hockey team I have seen. They were a true team, no selfishness at all, and they always supported each other.

McKeen's: What were your expectations coming into the season?

Kevin Quick: I knew we would be good this year with all the new players coming in. They are all good hockey players and it has been a lot of fun this year so far. I knew we would have a shot at New England's again this year, but I wouldn't have expected to be in the position we are now. If you told me in September we would be 19-1-1 going into our last 4 games of the year I would have been happy.

McKeen's: Which areas do you consider you have to improve to succeed in the next level in college and further?

Kevin Quick: I think the biggest thing to improve on for the next level in college and further would be to get bigger and stronger. That is my biggest weakness right now, once I get that I think it will improve on many areas of my game. Also processing the game faster and getting used to the college level speed will be a jump from the prep level.

McKeen's: What are some of the colleges you are interested in?

Kevin Quick: I am interested in a lot of colleges, I still haven't decided where I want to go yet. I have a few that I am looking hard at but still don't know what I want to study or where I want to go.