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Buffalo Sabres set to shockingly scratch young 8th overall pick

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Tom Banks
October 17, 2024  (6:14 PM)
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The Buffalo Sabres are expected to take a major step forward in 2024/25, but ahead of their next game, they appear to be scratching one of their top prospects.

After promising improvements over the past few seasons, the Buffalo Sabres are expected to be a much better team in 2024/25, but after a 1-3-1 start to the season, Head Coach Lindy Ruff appears ready to make some changes. According to reports, the team are set to scratch 23-year old Jack Quinn ahead of their matchup with the Columbus Blue Jackets after struggling to make much of an impact early in the season.

«He's had some quality opportunities,» Ruff said this afternoon in Nationwide Arena. «I think, again, I mentioned last night, managing the puck. We're talking about competing on the puck as a group, win your 50-50s. Jack, I think, he's getting in that area. But staying on the right side of the puck in different zones is really important at the same time.»

In the five games he's played this season, Quinn has recorded just one assist with a -4 differential thus far, and with veteran coach Ruff leading the way, it's clear that no one is going to skate by purely on potential on this team. Quinn's best year of his career came during the supposed breakout of the Sabres back in 2022/23, tallying 14 goals and 37 points in 75 games that season, but since then, a combination of injuries and struggles have held him to just 32 total games played.

The former No. 8 overall pick once seemed a lock to be a key part of this Sabres lineup, but with other prospects leapfrogging him and veterans arriving, it's safe to say that his spot is no longer guaranteed. In all likelihood, Quinn will be back in the lineup in the near future, but with rookie Jiri Kulich set to take his spot against Columbus, there's a chance that he wins that spot on a permanent basis, leaving Quinn's immediate NHL future up in the air.

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Buffalo Sabres set to shockingly scratch young 8th overall pick

Is scratching Jack Quinn the right move for the Buffalo Sabres?