The Winnipeg Jets are still hunting for offense, and one name that keeps surfacing in the conversation is Jack Quinn.
According to The Fourth Period’s Dave Pagnotta, Winnipeg’s interest in the Buffalo Sabres winger is back in the spotlight as the Jets look for a forward who can fit into their top six and help push the team back toward playoff contention next season. The twist is that this latest chatter appears to center on Quinn himself, not the bigger pieces that were previously tied to Buffalo in talks involving Connor Hellebuyck.
That earlier discussion reportedly featured a hefty package for the Jets’ star goaltender, including the fourth overall pick, starting goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, a player believed to be Quinn, and at least one more asset. Now, the focus seems to be narrowing to the young winger as Winnipeg continues to search for a meaningful addition up front.
Quinn is 24 and has already shown he can produce. The Cobden, Ontario native was the eighth overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, and his stock has continued to rise. He just finished a career-best season with Buffalo, putting up 51 points and 20 goals in all 82 games, then added seven points in the playoffs.
Buffalo’s situation makes him a player worth watching. Quinn is heading into the final year of his contract before he becomes a restricted free agent next summer, and the Sabres have reportedly been shopping him since before the draft. The goal, according to the reporting, is to land a roster upgrade rather than more draft capital.
For Winnipeg, the appeal is obvious: a young, two-way winger who could slide into the lineup and give the Jets another legitimate option in their top six. But the price tag remains unclear, especially if the clubs try to work out a deal for Quinn on his own rather than as part of a larger Hellebuyck framework.
Buffalo’s willingness to move him may also be shaped by where the Sabres are coming from. They beat the Boston Bruins in six games in the first round before falling to the Montreal Canadiens in a seven-game second-round series, and that run has reportedly left them looking to build on the momentum with a roster upgrade.
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