Lindy Ruff makes former 8th overall pick a healthy scratch for Buffalo Sabres against the Blue Jackets
Photo credit: Buffalo Sabres
Jack Quinn, former 8th overall pick of the Buffalo Sabres, is a healthy scratch tonight as the team faces off against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff mentioned before the game that he was anticipating Quinn being a healthy scratch. At the same time, he announced that Devin Levi would be the starting goaltender for the match, his third start of the season.
Ruff appeared to give himself some room for adjustment as he would not fully commit to Quinn being a scratch before the game started. This was likely a way to cover for himself just in case something happened at the last moment, such as an illness or injury that could have forced him back into the lineup. However, the game ha since started, and the Sabres rolled out with four lines, none of which feature the 23-year-old.
Quinn has not been good for the Sabres to start the season, to say the least. Through five games he has just 1 assist and has gone a -4. He has also mustered just five shots on goal despite getting pretty decent ice time at just under 16 minutes per night. For those who own Quinn in fantasy, it has been a rough start to the year. Quinn explained the tough decision to sit the talented player.
"He's had some quality opportunities. 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."
The slow start has come as a surprise to many as he appeared to be developing into a proper star in the NHL last season where he had 19 points in 27 games. The year before that he posted 37 points including 14 goals in 75 contests. So where did the scoring go? Well for one, you can't score if you don't shoot the puck. Five shots on goal in five games is an abysmal rate. Ruff would probably like to see him simplify his game and start getting more pucks on net. Even if you don't score, you could create rebounds or potentially draw penalties. Good things tend to happen when you shoot in hockey. Hopefully, Quinn will work his way back into the lineup and start to show why the Sabres drafted him so high soon.
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