TORONTO — Will Quill has been a boy’s man throughout his hockey career.
He has maintained the same measurements at 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds since he was 16, when he played for the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League, then the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League, and now New York. I did. Quill has always been a physical presence for the National Hockey League’s Rangers.
But that doesn’t diminish the fact that he was able to remain a 22-year-old in the men’s league as an NHL rookie this season.
“Obviously, the players are pretty strong in this league. There’s some pretty big guys in there,” Quill told the Post in the Rangers’ locker room at the MSG Training Center. “But, I mean, I think I’m pretty strong too, especially for a young guy. I’ve always been kind of on the big side.
“I’ve always taken my training very seriously. I love working out in the summer, and I always work hard in terms of summer training, working out, nutrition, etc. I say he is one of the strongest men in the world, but there are definitely many stronger men.
“But I think it’s just a matter of taking time and continuing to train and keep getting stronger.”
The Rangers expect Kyle to compete for a spot in the lineup in training camp this season, and it was clear pretty early on that the Toronto native had impressed head coach Peter Laviolette. .
Quill was given ample opportunity to prove he was NHL-ready in the preseason, recording two goals and one assist in the five exhibition games he played in to secure a spot.
However, Quill made a big impression a season ago, making a cameo appearance in four games.
The Rangers’ 29th overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft received his first call-up in late January amid a failure to score in the AHL and saw limited ice time in a fourth-line role behind former Ranger Julien. I made the most of my time. Gauthier and Wolfpack center Jake Lecishin.
Golden Knights face puncher Keegan Kolesar became Quill’s first NHL challenger after a second-period showdown in just his second game under the whirligig ceiling at Madison Square Garden.
“It was pretty crazy,” Quill said. “I didn’t think I hit anyone a little high at all, but I think he didn’t like it. I was pretty nervous, but it happened very quickly and I ran into the box with everyone cheering. Once I got in, it was pretty cool.”
The Rangers kept Quill around during the All-Star break and gave him two more games, one of which was against the Flames’ Mackenzie Weegar.
Quill wanted to showcase every aspect of his game to the Rangers’ front office, and he knew that his physicality and fighting ability were always traits that set him apart from other players.
That was evident early on.
But it was the sheer simplicity of Kyle’s style of play that made the third-line wing a key contributor to the Rangers’ lineup game after game in his first NHL season.
Don’t expect to see Quill Toe dragging the blue line or passing the puck between his legs to the other side of his stick.
Maybe he’ll nail opponents in the corners, let someone shine on the forecheck along the boards, and serve as an impressive presence in front of the net every game.
On a Rangers team full of elite skill stars who can sometimes get caught up in making clean plays, Quill could be expected to do the dirty work that doesn’t always grab the headlines.
It has become very valuable. It feels refreshing.
This is the kind of component every team needs.
“I know what my game is and what I have to do to be successful,” said Quill, who has 10 goals and eight assists this season. “The way I play is simple, but here I play a little more physical and try to play that role. It’s that physicality, that kind of energy that I try to bring every day, and sometimes that I think it can be contagious.
“I’m not trying to do anything too complex, I’m just trying to play my best every game, stay physical and keep things simple. If I do it right, it’s really effective.”
His NHL career is just 59 games long, but over time Quill will be able to translate the scoring touch he gained during his junior hockey days in the OHL beyond what he already has.
Every other part of his game has transitioned seamlessly, so why doesn’t that part ultimately transition?
Quill had 26 goals and 15 assists in 63 games in his first season with the Windsor Spitfires.
The following season, he had 22 goals and 20 assists in one fewer game.
Upon returning to the OHL after the coronavirus-impacted 2020-21 season with the Wolfpack, Quill posted an impressive 80 points in 59 games, in addition to 31 points in 25 playoff games, leading to the Spit. Ranked 3rd in Fires.
Former Spitfires head coach and former Rangers forward Marc Savard said: “The other kids were a little bit scared to be around him because of his size and strength and hitting ability.” he told The Post over the phone. . “I remember talking to him right after that training camp and saying, ‘Okay, this is what I’m going to do this year,’ and he agreed right away.
“When I say what I’m going to do, I’m saying: ‘You’re going to play in the World Juniors, you’re going to score 40 goals, these are the things I’ve already seen “You are, you are going to be.” ‘And he accomplished everything we talked about. ”
Manager Savard named Caillou captain, and Windsor reached the finals during that 2021-22 season.
The relationship between Savard, Kyle and the rest of the team’s leadership is so strong that Savard invited Kyle to his home for dinner earlier this season when the Rangers were in Calgary. .
The Rangers asked Savard to focus on improving Quill’s overall game.
Thus, once in the NHL, his physicality and fighting ability were no longer the only useful aspects of his game.
That’s exactly what they did, as evidenced by Laviolette, who never misses an opportunity to praise Caillou’s defensive responsibilities.
But the aggressive play and yelling he brings is still at the heart of Quill as a hockey player.
“You know? He couldn’t find many willing men. [to fight him in the OHL]” said Savard, who is currently an assistant coach with the Flames. Sure, I’m sure he used them all up, but not just to go to battle, and at the wisest moments. Maybe it was to protect a teammate, or maybe it was a situation where he needed some inspiration. ”
Quill was a kid who watched highlight reel matches on hockeyfights.com instead of listening to his teacher in class.
In addition to a punching bag, he had a UFC mat in the living room of his old house. He’s a fan of welterweight Stephen Thompson because he’s a “karate guy.” He’s a big pay-per-view guy.
Watching a classic enforcer like Brian McGrattan develop has been a treat for Quill, who appreciates the brand of toughness that’s hard to come by in today’s NHL.
He chuckled when he mentioned the infamous brawl between the Bruins and Rangers at Madison Square Garden in 1979, a memorable incident in which Bruins forward Mike Milbury hit a fan with his shoe.
Forget about who Quill said he modeled his game on on draft night: Capitals instigator and Rangers fan public enemy No. 1, Tom Wilson. I want to avoid it.
Quill has already played multiple games this season against the Sabres’ Eric Johnson, the Flyers’ Garnett Hathaway and most recently the Blue Jackets’ Dmitri Voronkov.
All of this may be the core of Quill as a hockey player, but he’s much more than that.
And it’s only the first year.
“He’s doing exactly the same thing as before.” [in Hartford] Because he’s here,” Johnny Brodzinski said. “He uses his body. You don’t notice it as much as your linemates, but he’ll watch film and think, ‘He killed, like, five people in this game.’ You don’t realize it just by playing with him, but he’s definitely a difficult player to play against and it’s good to have him on our team.”
