PRAGUE -- Jack Quinn is ready for opening night, preparing to be in the lineup, on a line with Dylan Cozens and Zach Benson, on the power play, maybe killing penalties, ideally scoring goals and helping the Buffalo Sabres get off to a hot start.
"I feel great and super excited to be fully healthy and ready to start the season," the forward said.
The Sabres will do that Friday, when they play the first of two games against the New Jersey Devils at the 2024 NHL Global Series Czechia presented by Fastenal at O2 Arena (1 p.m. ET; NHLN, SN, MSGSN, MSG-B). They play again Saturday (10 a.m. ET; NHLN, SN, MSGSN, MSG-B).
A year ago, Quinn, the No. 8 pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, wasn't involved in opening night. He was rehabbing an Achilles injury he sustained in offseason training, months away from playing.
If that wasn't brutal enough, after working to get back, which he did on Dec. 19, Quinn played 17 games and was out again. He sustained a lower-body injury unrelated to his Achilles on Jan. 27. He missed two months after having surgery.
Quinn played 27 games and had 19 points (nine goals, 10 assists) last season. It was hard on a young player, now 23, who was hoping to break out in his second NHL season after putting up 37 points (14 goals, 23 assists) in 75 games as a rookie in 2022-23.
"I feel like I have a lot to prove," Quinn said. "With the injuries and everything I just haven't been able to take the steps I've wanted as a player yet. I feel like last year I would have been able to if I wasn't injured, so I'm on a mission to do that this year."
The Sabres need Quinn. He's a part of their top-six forward group, their first power-play unit and their penalty kill. He may be their best pure goal-scorer.
Quinn scored 26 goals in 45 games with Rochester of the American Hockey League in 2021-22. He had 52 goals in 62 games with the Ottawa 67s in 2019-20. He has 24 goals in 104 NHL games.
"I don't think anyone knows how good a healthy 'Quinner' can actually be," Sabres forward Alex Tuch said. "I don't think he knows how good he can actually be."
Tuch and Quinn spent most of the summer together skating in Buffalo. There, Quinn said he worked on his shot.
"I feel like I'm a goal-scorer," Quinn said. "I'm an offensive player. Keep building that and try to be a good goal-scorer at this level starting this year."
Quinn also worked on his skating, particularly handling his edges and his stride.
He clearly worked on his balance too, evident by the goal he scored in Buffalo's 5-0 win against EHC Red Bull Munchen in the 2024 NHL Global Series Challenge Germany at SAP Garden in Munich on Friday.
Quinn was getting pulled from behind, but he stayed on his skates and as if he was using a pitching wedge, ripped a shot off the ice and high into the top right corner of the net from the right face-off circle.
"He used his body to shield off, which for most guys would take away from his shot, but it didn't for him," Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said. "I thought it was one heck of an effort to shield the guy and get off a heck of a shot. I've seen him in practice put shots where other guys can't put it. I think that's the part that gets you pretty excited."
