Earlier this morning, the Buffalo Sabres completed the expected move of Jack Quinn to the practice squad, opening up a spot for Riley Sheahan on the active roster. The Sabres host the Washington Capitals later this evening for their season debut.
Quinn, 19, has impressed the Sabres so far with his play at the World Junior and short time in training camp, but still is unlikely to be ready to step directly into the limelight. He has practiced with the AHL-bound players the last few days and Sheahan is expected to be activated from his non-roster designation to play on the fourth line this evening. Still, even getting this far can only be beneficial for Quinn, the Sabres first-round pick from October.
As one of the highly-touted players out of the OHL, Quinn is currently in a state of limbo with nowhere to play. His Ottawa 67’s don’t have a clear timeline to return to action as the OHL waits out a provincial lockdown, while suiting up in the NHL would mean burning the first year of his entry-level contract and likely putting Quinn in over his head. The AHL seems a logical fit and it wouldn’t be surprising to see Quinn assigned to Rochester Americans camp when it starts tomorrow. The young forward can play in the minor league until the OHL gets up and running without any danger of burning his ELC.
Quinn’s World Junior partner, Dylan Cozens, doesn’t have to wait. He’ll be in the opening night lineup playing alongside Cody Eakin and Tobias Rieder on the third line.