Jonathan Quick discusses his frustrating year with the Kings — and Toad from Mario Kart

Among the many things you can do at NHL Fan Fest, the event that surrounds the NHL All-Star Game at Staples Center this weekend, is design your own cap at the New Era cap store. While we were attending Thursday night, Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick was there designing his own cap and agreed to answer a few questions.

Q. How frustrating is it to be injured so long and away from the team?

A: It’s extremely frustrating. Especially moments like this when the team is on the road and you lose touch a little bit. You can still text guys and things like that, but at the same time you aren’t with them. It’s easier when the team is home and you can see them every day when you go to the rink to do rehab. But when I go to the rink when they are on the road, it’s all quiet and the lights are off and it’s just me.

Q. Do you ever yell at the TV when you watch games?

A. Yeah. Almost like a fan, the exact same thing.You see plays, and it’s a lot easier to read when you are watching it on TV. When you are on the ice and there’s all these guys going around and the crowd, you gotta make [split-second] decisions. So sometimes I will see something happening that a guy on the ice can’t see and I get mad at that. But mostly it’s just cheering your team on and wanting to see your teammates do well.

Q. What do you miss the most about playing?

A: I think it’s just the everyday stuff. The toughest part about the job is the daily grind, but at the same time, you enjoy it. You get your schedule and your routine. Practice, play, practice, play. I enjoy that part of the game. And at the same time you are doing all that stuff with your teammates. I’ve been very lucky since I’ve been with this organization that we’ve had a great group of guys who are fun to be around. They make work not seem like work.

Q. Would you want your kids to play hockey?

A: If they wanted to, sure. I would never force them to play any sport or do anything. I would certainly like [them] to play a sport or do something outside of just school. Just keep them busy and give them something to do. I would prefer some type of team aspect so they get a feeling of being accountable to their peers, having to rely on others and having others rely on them. Whether it’s chess club or hockey or soccer or whatever, I just want it to be something they would be interested in doing and enjoy doing.

Q. Are you ever coming back?

A. That’s a question I’ve asked myself a few times. Every week it seems to be getting better. The injury seems to be creating less and less pain. I think I’m getting better in a sense that I’ll be able to get in ice-shape. It’s just a process and you have to stick with it, and when I get the opportunity to play again, it will be very rewarding.

Q. If you could design a cap not related to the Kings, what would it look like?

A. It would be for my son [Quick has two kids, a son and a daughter] and it would be of Toad from Mario Kart. He loves all those games. We delegated one of his uncles to get him a Toad hat for Christmas, and it didn’t work out. So I think that what I would get him is a little picture of Toad.

Hannah Mitchell is the 15-year-old daughter of Times assistant sports editor Houston Mitchell.