The Top 25 Under 25 is a collaboration by members of the Die By The Blade community. It was a combination of staff writers and over 200 readers that ranked Buffalo Sabres players under the age of 25 as of August 1, 2023. Each participant used their own metric of current ability and production to rank each player. Staff votes counted equally with reader votes.
Jack Quinn
Drafted: 2020 – 1st Round (8th Overall)
Position: LW/RW
Born: September 19th, 2001 – 22 Years Old
2022-2023 stats: NHL – 75 GP – 14-27-37, World Championships – 10 GP – 2-5-7
2022 T25U25 Ranking: 4
Heading into his rookie season, Sabres fans weren’t sure what to expect from Jack Quinn. He was dominant at the AHL level but had looked outmatched against NHL competition. As the season wore on, Quinn was able to showcase why Kevyn Adams made him his first pick as an NHL General Manager. He was drafted as a pure sniper but has rounded out his game to impact in all aspects of the game.
He needed some time to adjust to the NHL last season but hit his stride during the Sabres nearly successful playoff push. He even saw some games on the top line when Alex Tuch was out with an injury. The most noticeable aspect of Quinn’s game is his natural scoring talent. He has a wicked shot and a unique ability to make moves in small areas to open shooting lanes. He showcased this at the World Championships this past Spring:
He is also an underrated playmaker. He was able to consistently give his linemates great offensive looks, particularly when he skated on the “kids line” with fellow rookie JJ Peterka and young center Dylan Cozens. There were some nights when that trio couldn’t be stopped. Here’s a good example of Quinn setting up Cozens for an easy goal:
Another aspect of Quinn’s game is his elite shootout ability. He is by far the best shootout asset the Sabres have had since Ales Kotalik. With how hard it is to make the playoffs, some extra shootout goals from Quinn could be impactful in the standings. Here is one of his best shootout goals from last year:
Unfortunately, Quinn suffered an Achilles injury during an offseason workout. He will miss the first few months of the Sabres season. Quinn had surgery in late June with an anticipated timeline of six months. Hopefully, he can make a speedy recovery and can build on his impressive finish to last season.