Quick, who’s that? He doesn’t have nametag

The NHL presents its annual season-ending awards tonight at Wynn Las Vegas, and as a preview of sorts, many of those nominated for trophies such as the Hart and Vezina were made available to media Tuesday.

The tough part for many locals was recognizing any of them.

I'm not suggesting the NHL go all Elaine Benes on this sort of thing and have everyone wear nametags to make awards week friendlier, but what about throwing up a placard or two in the vicinity of where these guys are talking?

You know, for those of us who aren't versed in the many networks and platforms of NBC.

I was convinced Kings goalie Jonathan Quick at one point was descending the stairs for his 30-minute window of opportunity when KLAS-TV sports director Chris Maathuis corrected me.

"I think that's one the guys from Nickelback," Maathuis said.

I thought at first he must be mistaken, because Chris seems like more of a Springsteen cat to me, and you would think such a successful and famous band as Nickelback would demand to be associated with a sports league that owns a legitimate TV package.

But the boys also are Canadians who love their hockey - except the one sacrilegious member who told us he knows nothing about the game - so I assume the whole why-isn't-it-called-Versus-anymore thing isn't that big a deal to them.

Quick is one whose sudden celebrity has arrived with a lesson: Those who weren't watching before - which means pretty much everyone but Kings fans - are now.

He went viral across the Web recently when, speaking at a rally inside Staples Center following a downtown parade for the Stanley Cup champions, Quick dropped three F-bombs in less than 30 seconds.

"How about this (bleeping) team right here?" Quick asked a raucous gathering. "Look at this (bleeping) team. Look at these (bleeping) guys."

My take: When a franchise waits 45 years to achieve its sport's ultimate goal by producing one of the most remarkable playoff runs in NHL history, emotion can get the best of your players.

"Obviously, when I said it, it's not really what I was thinking," Quick said. "Afterward, I'm not surprised at the (reaction). It is what it is. I was just really proud of the group and all the support we had from the fans. But when the team does what we did, those things are going to get attention.

"It has certainly been a whirlwind, trying to take the time to enjoy as much of it as you can. It's obviously one of the coolest things ever to win the Cup. But at this point, we're already getting our workout schedules in order for the summer to prepare for next year. You win it once, it's great, but you're not satisfied. You want to win it again."

Quick is nominated for the Vezina Trophy, given to the league's top goalie, alongside Henrik Lundqvist of the Rangers and Pekka Rinne of the Predators.

I'm not sure how Quick would fare in a popularity contest - Lundqvist once made People Magazine's 100 Most Beautiful People list, and Rinne is a finalist for the cover of EA Sports NHL 13 - but his performance on ice could prove enough.

It's good news for the other two that such awards are voted on before the playoffs or Quick's name would have been engraved on jolly ol' Vezina the moment Los Angeles began celebrating winning the Cup as a No. 8 seed.

He led the league with 10 shutouts during the regular season and had a goals-against average of 1.95, but his playoff brilliance - league records of 1.41 goals against, .946 save percentage and 10 consecutive road wins - earned him the Conn Smythe Trophy as the Most Valuable Player of the postseason.

Now, he and the rest of the Kings get a ring and a banner and the time-honored tradition of spending time with the Cup.

"There have been nights when we have been out in the public with it and others where there are just the players and the wives," Quick said. "Those nights are more fun, when it's just the guys. Everyone is like a little kid, looking at the Cup and reading the names of your favorite players and favorite teams growing up. Those are the best nights, for sure. It has been great.

"I have been recognized a little more. Any time that happens and you feel the support, it's great."

Sure, until they start asking him what inspired the lyrics for "How You Remind Me."

Las Vegas Review-Journal sports columnist Ed Graney can be reached at egraney@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4618. He can be heard from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday on "Gridlock," ESPN 1100 AM and 98.9 FM. Follow him on Twitter: @edgraney.