Fantasy Hockey: Is Jack Quinn the Buffalo Sabres deepest sleeper?

With the NHL season right around the corner, so is fantasy hockey. And there is one potential sleeper on the Buffalo Sabres to look out for.

There are several members of the Buffalo Sabres you need to keep an eye on in your fantasy hockey draft. Players like Tage Thompson, Jeff Skinner, Alex Tuch, Dylan Cozens, Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power, and even Devon Levi could wind up on your shortlist.

Jack Quinn, however, is one player you may not think of, since he’s slated to miss perhaps the first half of the 2023-24 season while recovering from a ruptured Achilles. But ignoring Quinn could be a mistake if you needed a sound midseason pickup at the waiver wire.

Fantrax, a respected fantasy sports outlet, recently listed Quinn as one of three breakout players on the Sabres in the fantasy realm. Owen Power and Devon Levi are the other two, but it was curious to see Quinn snag a spot because of his injury. Here is what author Michael DeRosa had to say on the subject:

"“Unfortunately, the 2020 eighth-overall pick has a ruptured Achilles, so he will miss the first few months of the year. Yet, when he is healthy, he is a player to consider adding to your fantasy roster as a waiver wire pickup.” – via Fantrax"

Source: 2023 Fantasy Hockey Breakouts: Buffalo Sabres 

Buffalo Sabres winger could be a fine waiver wire pickup in January

While it’s true we don’t know what Jack Quinn will look like when he returns to the ice, there is a chance he regains his rhythm quickly. If he returns to the top-six alongside Dylan Cozens and JJ Peterka, then watch out, because this trio already has sound experience as linemates.

Even if Quinn finds himself on the bottom-six, namely the third line, you shouldn’t find it concerning. He could wind up playing alongside Peyton Krebs and Victor Olofsson, with the former serving as an excellent asset for playing sound defense and returning the puck into the offensive zone.

Olofsson, despite his shortcomings, still harbors an excellent shot, and that could rack up the points for Quinn via assists. However, the soon-to-be second year winger showed his prowess last season with 14 goals in 75 contests, good for 0.186 goals per game. It may not seem like much, but if Quinn gets acclimated quickly, that number is sure to rise.

Overall, if you’re looking for a player to scoop up at midseason, Quinn could be your guy. There are no guarantees that he will serve you well in fantasy hockey, but even amidst his injury, Quinn’s stock is trending north.

(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)