Buffalo Sabres: Will Jack Quinn win the Calder Trophy?
By Sion Fawkes
Jack Quinn is almost a shoo-in to join the Buffalo Sabres roster full-time in 2022-23 and he could be a prime candidate to win the coveted Calder Trophy.
Quinn can win. We all know that, given his phenomenal season with the Buffalo Sabres AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans. Quinn made a cameo appearance with the team this past season, scoring two points in two games. Unfortunately, an injury sidelined him and the Sabres reassigned him back to Rochester.
But talk about a jump. In just 45 games, Quinn scored 61 points (26 goals) en route to earning the Red Garrett Award for Rookie of the Year. He and teammate J.J. Peterka also found themselves on the All-Rookie AHL Team.
However, Quinn’s performance did not translate in the Calder Cup Playoffs. He scored two points in 10 games, both assists, and appeared to be completely overmatched as opponents keyed on him. So can Quinn put his forgettable playoff performance behind him and win the Calder Trophy? Keep reading for more.
Can Buffalo Sabres winger Jack Quinn win the Calder Memorial Trophy in 2022-23?
Barring anything unforeseen, Quinn will be a member of the Buffalo Sabres roster in 2022-23. He will likely team up with the likes of other promising rookies in Peterka and Owen Power. And while Power is the favorite on the Sabres roster to win the Calder Trophy, it doesn’t mean Quinn won’t sneak up and pull off an upset.
We don’t know how good Quinn would have been had he not gotten hurt. And we need to ask ourselves: Would he have stuck around in Buffalo, or would the Sabres have reassigned him back to Rochester at some point?
We do know how well he played and how much of a jump Quinn made during his second season (first full season) in the AHL. So let’s discuss why Quinn will, and why he won’t, win the Calder.