Buffalo Sabres 75 Bold Predictions for 2023-24: Prediction #9

Jack Quinn could miss the first half of the season rehabbing from an Achilles injury, but he may also fuel the Buffalo Sabres from January to April.

The Buffalo Sabres received bad news in June when Jack Quinn had to undergo surgery to repair a ruptured Achilles. This will put him on the shelf for another three to five months, so while he could return sometime in November, it realistically won’t occur until the New Year.

Therefore, we may only get a half-season from Quinn, but the good news is that once he returns, he should be the healthiest player on the ice as the playoff race starts to take shape. A sense of urgency will without a doubt encompass the Sabres, so Quinn’s return potentially coinciding when the race heats up could mean a dynamic run for the second-year winger.

Jack Quinn could fuel the Buffalo Sabres between January and April 2024

Like his linemate J.J. Peterka, Quinn adapted to the NHL demands well in the second half of the 2022-23 season. But both his offense and defense started to shine, foreshadowing a potential power forward role in the future.

Last year, Quinn scored 37 points in 75 contests, good for 0.49 points per game. That number held steady for the most part last season – for example, in his final 25 games, he logged 13 points, or 0.52 per game.

With a year of experience now under him and J.J. Peterka, his points-per-game total will increase. But let’s get bold here for a second and say that, regardless of when Quinn returns, he will hit roughly the 0.75 points per game mark. So if he’s healthy enough to appear in 41 contests, he will earn between 30 and 31 points.

As mentioned earlier, Quinn’s defensive play also saw an uptick, and he will get aggressive the moment he steps back onto the ice. With an opportunity to pack on more size and strength during his rehab, Quinn’s 43 hits he had last season will increase substantially, also nearing the 0.75 per game mark, and you can also expect more puck battles and takeaways.

Overall, Quinn scores at least 10 goals this season to go with between 30 and 31 assists in 41 games. He will also sail north of 30 hits, and could even match his number of takeaways thanks to his better overall defensive play from a season ago.

(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)