Buffalo Sabres winger Jack Quinn, who spent six months rehabbing from a torn left Achilles tendon and missed the first 32 games this season, departed Saturday’s 5-2 road win over the San Jose Sharks after his left leg bent awkwardly when Tomas Hertl hit him into the boards.
Quinn, 22, was trying to spin away from Hertl between the left circle and blue line when he took the hit. He stayed on the SAP Center ice before putting no weight on his left leg as he skated off 7:07 into the third period.
Sabres coach Don Granato told reporters in San Jose “it was devastating to see him go down the way he did.”
“The hockey side is a tremendous, negative impact when you lose a guy like that, but the emotions go to the personal side,” he said. “You know he’s endured a lot already in a very young career. So it’s a struggle. We don’t have the extent that he’s going to be out, but it’s certainly not day to day.”
Quinn tore his Achilles tendon during an offseason workout in late June and underwent surgery. He has made a significant impact since his season debut Dec. 19, recording five goals and 12 points in 17 games, including one goal and four points in the last two contests. He assisted on winger JJ Peterka’s second goal of the afternoon minutes before leaving Saturday’s game.
The Sabres have compiled a 9-7-1 record with Quinn, the eighth overall pick in 2020, in the lineup this season.
“Disturbing when you see a guy that means so much and works every day, competes every day, and he’s such a big part of us going, us playing our identity, being ourselves,” Granato said.
Quinn’s presence alongside Peterka and center Dylan Cozens, his linemates as a rookie most of last season, has given the Sabres a formidable scoring trio.
The line has combined for a whopping seven goals and 14 points in the last two games.
The Sabres don’t play again until Feb. 6 because of their bye week and the NHL All-Star break.
Jack Quinn injury #LetsGoBuffalo #SJSharks pic.twitter.com/Vgm15aLWjZ
— Buffalo Hockey Moments (@SabresPlays) January 27, 2024
