Each day over the next 10 days leading up to the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, held on Oct. 6–7, The Rink will be taking a look at draft prospects who could be available when the Chicago Blackhawks announce their selection with the 17th overall pick. We will group the players by position, starting with forwards.
Next in the series of prospect profiles is Canadian winger Jack Quinn.
Jack Quinn
2019–20 Team: Ottawa (OHL)
Date of Birth: Sept. 19, 2001
Place of Birth: Ottawa, ON, Canada
Height: 6 feet
Weight: 176 pounds
Shoots: Right
Position: RW
NHL Central Scouting Final Ranking: 7 (North American Skaters)
NHL Central Scouting Midterm Ranking: 9 (North American Skaters)
NHL Comparable: Jake Guentzel
Jack Quinn has been among the biggest risers of the 2020 draft class thanks to a monstrous season in the OHL. Overshadowed by fellow top prospect Marco Rossi entering the season, Quinn burst onto the scene with his production and continued to pour in goals as the campaign progressed. Once considered a third-round prospect, Quinn is now viewed as one of, if not the best, goal scorers in the draft after tallying 52 goals in the shortened 2019–20 season.
Quinn is a prototypical sniper with an elite shot. He owns a lightning-quick release and is able to fire the puck with pinpoint accuracy. Quinn can find the back of the net in a number of ways, as his wrist, snap and backhand shots are all highly effective.
Though Quinn is certainly a lethal sniper, he is not simply a one-trick pony. He is equally effective finding the back of the net in various situations, capable of lighting the lamp on the rush, in settled situations, on breakaways, with the man advantage and even shorthanded.
Quinn also takes advantage of the respect his scoring ability warrants from the opposition by using his vision and creativity to find open teammates for high-danger scoring chances. The winger also possesses quality hands, which he utilizes to slice his way through defenders.
Skating was often the biggest knock on Quinn’s game entering his draft season, but he made noticeable improvement throughout the year. Quinn makes the most of his acceleration and agility to be a deceptive skater, but lacks high-end top speed.
Away from the puck, Quinn is responsible defensively. He uses his top-notch hockey smarts to anticipate plays well and is relied upon in a number of situations. Another big-time strength of Quinn’s game is his compete level, as he is very driven to succeed in whatever situation he is presented with. Quinn seems to have a knack of performing in the clutch as well, thriving under pressure.
Implications for the Blackhawks
Is it possible Quinn could still be available for the Blackhawks at 17? Yes. Will he be? Well, the answer to that is he should not be. With the package Quinn brings to the table, it is much more likely Quinn breaks into the top 10 than falling to Chicago at 17. Some even believe Quinn could surpass Rossi and maybe even sneak into the top five. Regardless, it would take a number of teams passing on his talent to select players that fill holes in their system in order for Quinn to drop out of the top 15. Should Quinn somehow end up a Blackhawk come Oct. 6, count that as pretty much the best-case scenario for how the draft unfolds.
Timeline
Quinn would definitely benefit from more development time before turning pro. As mentioned, his top-end speed needs some work, and like almost any young player, he could certainly stand to add more muscle to his frame. Expect Quinn to return to the OHL this upcoming season, but he could be ready to go for the 2021–22 season.
Projection
Should Quinn pan out, he will be a top-six sniper capable of filling the net for his team year in and year out. While he may not become a Rocket Richard Trophy winner in the NHL, he should still be a high-level scorer with all the tools needed to be a perennial 30-goal scorer, if not more.
What others are saying
“Quinn can certainly shoot it at a high level, but he’s also a player with a lot of skill and IQ. He can beat defenders with his hands, find teammates very well and score from a distance, giving his game a lot of dimensions. The main reason for his sudden rise in prospect stock has been the continued improvement in his skating to being arguably above-average when it used to be a weakness for him. Quinn is solid off the puck, plays the penalty kill for Ottawa and is a player who coaches and scouts universally praise for all the dimensions in his game.”
— Corey Pronman / The Athletic
“The knee-jerk response to Quinn’s rise in draft circles is to tie his production to playing on Rossi’s wing. But Quinn clearly does the work required to get himself into scoring position, and you can’t fault him for making the most of his opportunities. Quinn has the potential to drive his own line as a winger because he’s so good in the corners or along the boards, plus his escapability for an above-average skater is a tribute to his poise and the timing of his lateral cuts immediately after (offensive) zone entries. Playing a cerebral, poised and calculated game from the flank while making smart decision after smart decision is the best explanation I can come up with for the manner in which he toyed with OHL defenders and goalies; even in a season where goal scoring skyrocketed from previous campaigns.”
— Steve Kournianos / The Draft Analyst