Subj : Sabres Prospect Jack Quinn Impresses in AHL Debut
To : All
From : The Hockey Writers - Main
Date : Sat Feb 20 2021 04:40 am
The Buffalo Sabres'; eighth-overall pick in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft made his
professional hockey debut Thursday night when he suited up for the Rochester
Americans in the American Hockey League (AHL), helping lead them to a 4-3
shootout win over the Utica Comets. Widely regarded as the best goal scorer in
his draft class, Jack Quinn tallied an assist and a shootout goal in his first
game playing against full-grown men. Despite this being a major achievement for
the 19-year-old winger, it doesn';t seem like he';s slowing down anytime soon.
It may not be long before he gets his first look in the NHL.Quinn Continues to
Defy the Odds in Pro Debut
Quinn';s professional debut came much earlier than expected due to the COVID-19
pandemic. The Cobden, Ontario-native spent parts of the past three seasons
with the Ottawa 67';s in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), but his expected
fourth season (and third full-time) has been cut off, at least for now, with
the league still negotiating a return-to-play plan with the Ontario government.
If his first AHL game says anything, he may not need another year in major
junior hockey after all.Jack Quinn played two full-time seasons for the Ottawa
67';s in the OHL. (OHL IMAGES/Terry Wilson)
Notching his first pro point on Steven Fogarty';s game-tying goal in the dying
minutes of the third period, Quinn made a very strong first impression in his
Americans debut.
"I don';t think he';s going to play here for very long," said Jean-Sébastien
Dea, who centred Quinn';s line on Thursday. "He';s unbelievable."
Dea is a seasoned AHL veteran with experience playing at the NHL level for the
Sabres, New Jersey Devils and Pittsburgh Penguins. This was a huge compliment
for Quinn to receive after just one game, but it';s not unprecedented for the
young sniper who has a habit of pulling off the unexpected.
Quinn has overcome adversity countless times in his career but continues
trekking on and defying the odds. He was cut from multiple AAA hockey teams
growing up and spent most of his time playing baseball when the weather
permitted. It was only six years ago that he decided to pursue hockey full time
and make a run for the NHL.
His dreams became even more of a reality at the 2021 IIHF World Junior
Championship when he was named to Team Canada after being an expected roster
cut by many hockey analysts. After somewhat of a surprise naming to the team,
he ended up playing the majority of the tournament between the first and second
lines, recording five points (one goal, four assists) in seven games en route
to a silver medal. He ranked third among all players in the tournament with a
plus-minus rating of plus-10.
His underdog story only gets more impressive with time, and he';ll look to
build the next chapter of it in Rochester. So far, it';s off to an incredible
start.Goal-Scoring Ability Put on Display in Shootout
After Quinn';s contribution to the Americans'; late game-tying goal, he was
called upon in the shootout. Known for his incredible goal-scoring ability, he
put his skills on display with a beautiful deke to score on Comets'; goaltender
Jon Gillies, ultimately helping Rochester secure the win at home. As a natural
goal scorer, he was primed for the opportunity.
Oh so...𝒔𝒎𝒐𝒐𝒕𝒉.
Take another look at Jack Quinn's shootout marker from last night.#UnitedWeROC
| @jackquinn_19 pic.twitter.com/O1SiHJmjui- Rochester Americans (@AmerksHockey)
February 19, 2021
Following his huge shootout goal, Quinn simply said, "goal-scoring is something
I';m good at."
He';s not wrong. In 2018-19, he became a full-time member of the 67';s in the
OHL, tallying 12 goals and 32 points in 61 games. The very next season, only
his second playing full time in the OHL, he recorded an astonishing 52 goals
and 89 points in 62 games, ranking him second in league goals, only behind
now-Toronto Maple Leafs left-winger Nicholas Robertson. Quinn was just the
fourth OHL player to score 50 goals in their draft year since 2009-10. If Quinn
continues this trajectory into the AHL, it may not be long before he gets a
shot in the NHL, especially considering the Sabres are desperate for goal
scoring right now.
Following his selection at the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, Quinn said that he wanted
to "prove that [he';s] ready to play in the NHL next year." The new year is
here, and although he';s not in the NHL right now, there is certainly potential
for him to make an appearance at some point this season. He began 2020-21 as a
member of the Sabres'; taxi squad before getting the call to Rochester. If he
can carry his momentum forward from his first pro game and prove himself as a
consistent contributor on a competitive Americans team, he may be trading the
blue and red in for blue and gold sooner than expected.
The post Sabres Prospect Jack Quinn Impresses in AHL Debut appeared first on
The Hockey Writers.
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