Jack Quinn didn’t just help the Sabres beat Toronto. He put his name on the game in a way that felt like a statement.
Buffalo’s 5-4 overtime comeback win over the Maple Leafs was the headliner, but Quinn was the one who turned the night into something bigger. He finished with four points - two goals and two assists - in what was easily the best performance of his NHL career.
Through eight games, he’s not merely producing. He looks settled, dangerous and in complete command of his game.
That’s a big leap from where this path started. Buffalo took Quinn eighth overall in the 2020 NHL Draft because the scoring touch was obvious.
He had ripped off 52 goals for the Ottawa 67’s in the Ontario Hockey League in 2019-20, then carried that finish into pro hockey with 28 goals in 60 American Hockey League games, including 26 in 45 games during his breakout 2021-22 season. The NHL came with a slower burn, but last year he finally put everything together, setting career highs with 20 goals, 31 assists and 51 points.
This season, he’s gone another level higher. Quinn has eight points - four goals and four assists - and is tied for second on the team.
He also opened the year with two goals in Buffalo’s 6-3 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Oct. 1, and he hasn’t backed off since. At this point, if someone wants to argue that Owen Power has been Buffalo’s best player through the first eight games, that works too.
But Quinn has made a very loud case.
What stands out now is how different he looks when the puck lands on his stick in dangerous areas. Last season, the scoring chances were there, but the finish could get messy - a rushed shot, a bobbled puck, a post.
The talent was never the question. The poise was.
Right now, the panic is gone. Quinn is playing with calm, handling pressure cleanly and finishing chances with a confidence that wasn’t always there before.
The numbers match the eye test. According to MoneyPuck, Quinn ranks fourth on the team in expected goals per 60 at 1.03, first in Corsi at 66%, first in Fenwick at 65% and fifth in on-ice goals percentage at 62.5%.
Those aren’t empty-box-score numbers. They say he’s pushing play, controlling shifts and creating real offense.
There’s also a very clear sign that Lindy Ruff trusts him. Quinn is locked onto the second line with Noah Ostlund and Zach Benson, both of whom were extended this summer, and he’s on the first power-play unit.
He’s being used in the team’s most important moments and is averaging a career-high 19:20 of ice time per game. MoneyPuck also has 22.1% of his shifts starting in the offensive zone, which is exactly the kind of deployment you’d want for a scorer with this kind of finish.
That’s why the 40-goal conversation no longer sounds far-fetched. Coming into the season, 25 to 30 goals felt like the sensible range, with 40 as the ceiling if everything clicked.
Now he’s on a 42-goal pace, and the production is backed by everything underneath it. This doesn’t look like a quick burst.
It looks like a player who has found the blend of opportunity, composure and finishing touch that turns promise into something much more dangerous.
In Other News...
Sabres Face A Goaltending Decision That Could Change Everything
Connor Hellebuycks situation in Winnipeg has quickly become one of the most notable goaltending storylines in the league, and Buffalo is right in the middle of it. The Jets have started the season without him after he requested a trade and did not report to training camp, forcing Winnipeg to weigh its options before a Friday deadline as the market for elite goalies takes shape.
For the Sabres, this is the kind of opportunity that can alter a seasons trajectory if the talks get serious. NHL insider Elliotte Friedman has placed Buffalo among the clubs linked to the netminder, and with several teams still evaluating their goaltending needs, the coming days could determine whether the Sabres stay on the outside of the conversation or suddenly find themselves in the thick of it. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres Start Is Putting Real Pressure On Jarmo To Make A Move
Buffalos rough start has already turned the conversation from patience to pressure, and it is putting the front office in a spot where a meaningful move feels less like a luxury and more like a necessity. With general manager Jarmo Kekalainen holding salary-cap flexibility and a stockpile of draft picks, the Sabres have the kind of assets that can at least open the door to a blockbuster if he decides the roster needs a major jolt.
The areas drawing the most attention are obvious ones: goaltending and the top six, where the group still needs more impact if it is going to climb back into the race. The challenge now is timing, because the longer the skid lingers, the harder it becomes to ignore the idea that Buffalo may need to swing big rather than settle for a smaller fix. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres Face One Problem That Could Undercut Their Fast Start
Owen Power and Jack Quinn have been two of the early bright spots in Buffalos fast start, giving the Sabres encouraging production and steady two-way play as the season gets rolling. For a team trying to build momentum early, that kind of emergence matters, especially with Jason Zucker nearing a return and the blue line still sorting through injuries to Matt Grzelcyk and Rasmus Dahlin.
The concern is what has happened when Buffalo has had to kill penalties. The Sabres have given up power-play goals in most games so far, and those lapses have repeatedly undercut otherwise solid stretches of play. Alex Lyon is also dealing with uncertainty after an injury setback, leaving Buffalo with a few moving parts to manage just as the schedule starts to tighten. [Read more 🡒]