Lindy Ruff says key Sabres player is 'getting rewarded' for hard work

It didn't take many training camp practices to see Jack Quinn looked primed for a monster season. His compete level, which previously ebbed and flowed, was off the charts and he was winning far more one-on-one puck battles as he entered his sixth season with the Buffalo Sabres.

So far, that's fully translated to the regular season. Quinn scored in each of the Sabres' first two games, a road loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets and a home win over the Chicago Blackhawks, and he's racked up a team-high nine shots on goal.

Buffalo head coach Lindy Ruff praised the 25-year-old Canadian winger during appearance on WGR 550 Radio ahead of Tuesday night's clash with the Minnesota Wild.

"I think he's got a lot of confidence in his game right now. In reality, he probably should have three or four [goals] with the number of chances he's created. He's skating well. He's a stronger player than he was a couple years ago, and I think that's showing on the ice. He's a better skater than he was a couple years ago and I think he's getting rewarded for that. Night in, night out, he's creating some of his own chances, which that escapability is a sign of an elite player that can score on his own at times, or he gets himself in the right place. We know that usually when he gets himself in a great scoring position he's got a good shot, so I think he's a guy that could really take off for us."

Sabres HC Lindy Ruff on F Jack Quinn

The Sabres, across a few different regimes, have expected Quinn to develop into a 30-goal scorer since the organization selected him with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft.

Those hopes began to fade a bit over the years due to injuries and inconsistent effort, but he finally started to turn a corner in 2025-26, when he compiled a career-high 51 points (20 goals and 31 assists) while playing all 82 games to help Buffalo earn its first playoff berth since 2011.

A lot of fans wondered whether Quinn would be able to build off that success, or if he'd take a step back after the breakthrough campaign. At least so far, it appears the former Ottawa 67's standout is prepared to take another leap forward.

That's great news for the Sabres as they attempt to keep pace in a stacked Eastern Conference, but it could become costly in the long run.

Quinn is scheduled to become a restricted free agent next summer and, if this substantial uptick in performance continues, he'll be due a massive raise from his current $3.375 million salary. And the Alex Tuch situation proved Buffalo's front office, led by general manager Jarmo Kekalainen, is willing to walk away if an asking price gets too high.

So, it'll be interesting to see whether the sides come to terms on an early agreement this season, which could save the Sabres a little bit of money, or if the Ontario native wants to bet on himself, play the year out and maximize his potential earnings next summer.

Either way, Buffalo will hope the promising signs he's delivered since the start of camp continue as the team chases a second straight Atlantic Division title.

Jack Quinn is 1 of 3 important RFAs for the Sabres in 2027

Quinn isn't the only player trying to establish himself as part of Buffalo's future core. Jiri Kulich and Colten Ellis are also scheduled to become restricted free agents next offseason.

Kulich is still working his way back to full speed after missing the vast majority of the 2025-26 campaign with a blood clot. The 22-year-old forward has looked good so far, highlighted by the game-winning goal in Saturday's triumph over the Blackhawks.

Ellis is slated to received his first start of the season against the Wild after a pair of lackluster performances from Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. Alex Lyon, the third member of the club's three-goalie rotation, is currently sidelined by an upper-body injury.

The former St. Louis Blues prospect put together a solid first year in Buffalo, registering a .903 save percentage across 16 games (14 starts). He was also the team's most impressive goaltender throughout the preseason.

Ellis has a great opportunity to earn a larger share of the starts in 2026-27, and there's even a possibility he emerges as the Sabres' No. 1 option by year's end.

As it stands, Buffalo is projected to have around $24.3 million in salary-cap space for the 2027 offseason, according to PuckPedia. Re-signing Quinn, Kulich and Ellis wouldn't require all of that money, but it'd cost a sizable chunk, especially if Quinn's value keeps rising.

That's why it wouldn't be a surprise if Kekalainen attempts to act early on at least one or those of those impending RFAs, as he already did recently with defenseman Louis Crevier.

The Sabres possess one of the NHL's most promising caches of young players, so trying to retain as many of them as possible is paramount in the years ahead.

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