Report: Jack Quinn to miss eight weeks with lower-body injury

According to Buffalo News’ Lance Lysowski, Buffalo Sabres forward Jack Quinn is expected to miss around eight weeks after undergoing surgery for a lower-body injury on Monday.

The surgery comes days after the Sabres’ 5-2 win over the San Jose Sharks on Saturday, with Quinn unable to put any weight on his left leg after a hit from Tomas Hertl. Quinn had been playing on a line with Dylan Cozens and JJ Peterka, with the trio combining for six points.

Quinn missed the first 32 games of the NHL season after undergoing achilles surgery in June.

Drafted eighth overall in 2020, Quinn made an immediate impact after re-joining the Sabres in December. He’s up to five goals and 12 points in 17 games, putting him on pace for 15 goals and 36 points in 50 games. That would have been a huge season for the 21-year-old after scoring 14 goals and 37 points in 75 games.

Quinn showed his value at the 2023 IIHF men’s World Hockey Championship. He had two goals and seven points in 10 games, helping Canada win gold.

Given his production over the past two months, it looked like Quinn was trending toward a breakout. The injury timeline puts him at a return in late March, with the Sabres’ regular season coming to a close against the Tampa Bay Lightning on April 15.

The Sabres are off for the NHL All-Star Game break, returning home on Feb. 6 with a meeting against the Dallas Stars. The Sabres need a big run in the final 33 games if they’re going to make the postseason, with the club currently sitting sixth in the Atlantic Division with 48 points.