Basking in the afterglow of the first Stanley Cup title in team history, Dean Lombardi wasted no time in rewarding his Conn Smythe-winning goalie with a monster 10-year, $58 million contract. One year shy of free agency, Jonathan Quick’s Cup-winning performance capped a breakout year, which saw him lead the league in shutouts while finishing second in voting for the Vezina and fifth for the Hart. It was a perfect storm for the then-26 year-old to cash in on a life-changing contract.
As the story goes, Quick never did replicate that career year and in the years that followed, Lombardi was widely criticized for handing such a lavish deal to what looked like an average net-minder.