Player Discussion Jack Quinn, RW (8th overall, 2020): Named AHL Rookie of the Year

[brian_griffin]

????

I think the inference was Quinn could be similar to Stafford in that Stafford only ever hit is top gear in contract-expiring seasons.

Of course, we have no way of knowing (or likely even believing) that will be the case.

 

[Reddawg]

Of course, we have no way of knowing (or likely even believing) that will be the case.

As if that’s ever stopped us…

 

[Dingo44]

4. Jack Quinn, RW

20 years old | 6 feet | 176 pounds | Shoots right

Drafted: No. 8 in 2020
Tier: Top of the lineup player

Skating: Below NHL average
Puck skills: Above NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: NHL average
Shot: Above NHL average

Analysis: Quinn had a monster AHL season, scoring 61 points in 45 games and being named AHL rookie of the year as a result. He’s very dangerous with the puck on his stick. He has loose, quick hands and can beat defenders one-on-one at a high frequency. He’s a creative playmaker who can also finish chances and do so from range. Quinn’s feet have never been his selling point, but he’s so skilled and such a good scorer that I think he can become a true top-line winger.

 

[Dingo44]

 

[Jim Bob]

Ranking the top 20 Calder Trophy candidates for the 2022-23 NHL season

For the fifth straight year, Scott Wheeler gives us his list of the top 20 candidates for the Calder Trophy.

theathletic.com

5. Jack Quinn, RW, 20 (Buffalo Sabres — No. 8, 2020)

Quinn’s ready. I’m confident he’s going to make the Sabres out of camp and stick. But if it’s assumed that Victor Olofsson, Jeff Skinner and Alex Tuch are going to be three of the four wingers inside the top-six, who will the last be? I think there’s a real chance it’s Quinn, but he’s not the only one with a case and Peyton Krebs showed flashes of being ready for that kind of opportunity last year as well (plus Krebs obviously has a little more NHL experience). Maybe it’s Krebs’ to start, Quinn begins in more of a depth role, and Quinn takes the job as the season progresses. That feels like a realistic scenario. You’ve got to be there almost from start to finish to make it onto Calder ballots though. I think there’s a scenario where Quinn wins the job and holds it, too. But it’s not a sure thing. I think this range is fair, accordingly.

 

[SundherDome]

Ranking the top 20 Calder Trophy candidates for the 2022-23 NHL season

For the fifth straight year, Scott Wheeler gives us his list of the top 20 candidates for the Calder Trophy.

theathletic.com

That was an incredible write-up of uncertainty.

 

[Matt Ress]

Ranking the top 20 Calder Trophy candidates for the 2022-23 NHL season

For the fifth straight year, Scott Wheeler gives us his list of the top 20 candidates for the Calder Trophy.

theathletic.com

I don't know if Quinn will stick in the top 6 right out of the gate but there is skill throughout the top 9 so he'll have 2 of Krebs, Cozens, Paterka, Mitts, Asplund, Hino to line up with and a good amount of PP time

 

[Zman5778]

I feel like it bears repeating for the Nth time:

People (both on this board and in the Buffalo media) need to let go of the idea of "top 6" and "bottom 6" right now.

Donnie has said often that he doesn't number his lines and that his goal is to evenly balance the even strength time of all lines until he figures out who's going well in a game and who's not. And that's largely played out.

Yes, Tage and Tuch will get higher TOI than the rest....because they're the only ones right now that play all 3 phases competently (well, enough to get on PP1).

But if whatever line Quinn is on is going well that night, that line will get the ice time. If not, they won't.

Donnie doesn't use a traditional "top 6"/"bottom 6" configuration. And given our depth of offensive talent.....I think it's much more likely we run "top 9"/"bottom 3" once we're truly in playoff contention.

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

I feel like it bears repeating for the Nth time:

People (both on this board and in the Buffalo media) need to let go of the idea of "top 6" and "bottom 6" right now.

Donnie has said often that he doesn't number his lines and that his goal is to evenly balance the even strength time of all lines until he figures out who's going well in a game and who's not. And that's largely played out.

Yes, Tage and Tuch will get higher TOI than the rest....because they're the only ones right now that play all 3 phases competently (well, enough to get on PP1).

But if whatever line Quinn is on is going well that night, that line will get the ice time. If not, they won't.

Donnie doesn't use a traditional "top 6"/"bottom 6" configuration. And given our depth of offensive talent.....I think it's much more likely we run "top 9"/"bottom 3" once we're truly in playoff contention.

I was going to post this earlier, but found that I didn't have the energy to repeat something that should be common knowledge. Props to your higher commitment to the Sabres board.

 

[elchud]

We will always have 2 or 3 forwards with 60percent or higher d-zone starts. Last year that was Girgs/Eakin. This year it will be Girgs and somebody. If there is an injury that takes out one of our top-9 (which is pretty damn likely) Girgs/Sheahan would be that tandem this season.

So there's your 4th line. I think we will always have a 4th line. On any given team, its all relative. There was a Gaustad line, I dont think we will have a Mair or Peters type this decade, but eventually we will acquire a center who can win faceoffs and play a sturdy defensive game. Bottom-6 will look different for us. Long term Asplund could be the fixture on the 3rd line. The power play forwards would be the core of the top 2 or 3 lines. If you arent on the power play you're a bottom 6 forward. Or you can define it as the 8-12 forwards who have less total ice time as the 1-7 forwards.

This isn't an exact science but I still think its easy to identify a bottom 6, even with all the ridiculous forward talent in our system. We could be at a point in a few years where *every top-12 forward would be a 1st round (or top-36 to include Asplund Peterka) pick*. But its all relative. In the big picture of such a roster there will still be a couple d-zone heavy forwards and there will still be forwards who wont play PP minutes and will be expected to go hard on the PK.

 

[Jim Bob]

 

[truthbluth]

Hey, Quinn and I share a birthday. Maybe I shouldn’t have been such an ass about him.

 

[MarkusKetterer]

 

[Nikolajs Sillers]

Hey, Quinn and I share a birthday. Maybe I shouldn’t have been such an ass about him.

Happy birthday to both of you.

 

[MarkusKetterer]

Hey, Quinn and I share a birthday. Maybe I shouldn’t have been such an ass about him.

Happy birthday

 

[Butt Ox]

Hey, Quinn and I share a birthday. Maybe I shouldn’t have been such an ass about him.

Happy Birthday

 

[UnleashRasmus]

Make this the year you stay healthy and break camp with the big club and never look back. Push players down the depth chart and run chaos on the NHL. If Peterka and Quinn make the team, we'll have great problems.

 

[Diaspora]

I didn't realize he was a PPG player. How will we afford his contract? We should have traded him for Hoglander and a 2nd when we had the chance.

 

[Jacob582]

I didn't realize he was a PPG player. How will we afford his contract? We should have traded him for Hoglander and a 2nd when we had the chance.

I know you are joking, but how WILL we afford him when we are a cap floor team?

 

[Diaspora]

I know you are joking, but how WILL we afford him when we are a cap floor team?

Someone will have to figure that out in August 2024.

 

[Jim Bob]

 

[Gabrielor]

Super small sample, but at this point, the key thing for him to work on is making his decisions faster.

 

[MOGlLNY]

He'll be fine, this is going to be a season of ups and downs. Olofsson is making life difficult for him and it's going to be hard for him to explode with KO and Girgs. JJ has pretty much solidified himself with Cozens because they have great chemistry. Jack still trying to find his way.

 

[TheBarnIsElectric]

I haven't been sure what to make of Quinn so far. What I've seen is a talented player who falls down a lot, makes risky passes, and is easily muscled off of pucks. At the same time, I've been seeing that his advanced metrics are strong, and that has been surprising.

Saw this article today that really breaks down what he has been doing successfully despite the lack of point production. Small sample size, but I definitely feel more comfortable with him being in the lineup after reading this, and it gives me some things to look for in his next run of games.

Tldr; basically, Quinn is really smart positionally, anticipates the play well, and plays his best with other skilled fast players who he can read off of. This article almost makes me wonder if they should keep trying him at center because of how strong he is in those areas.

I keep making the comparison to Reinhart in my head. He has a lot of the same traits, but maybe just a little faster, shifty and dynamic. Also is starting out with a more dangerous shot, although Reinhart improved that every year to the point where he was dangerous in the slot. The other thing Quinn has that Reinhart always had was the ability to understand the game, which allows him to make subtle adjustments to find success with more and more experience.

If he can continue to drive play and suppress the opposing team's offense, while also adding in the sniping and offensive production at some point, look out...

At the very least, he's a very interesting player to watch develop over the next couple years.

 

[tsujimoto74]

I'm not worried at all about the early lack of production from Quinn. If you look at his history as a player, every time he moves up a league, there's an adjustment period where he's quiet. Then he figures it out and starts wreaking havoc. I have full confidence he'll figure the NHL out eventually.