An Ontario Hockey League championship and the berth in the Memorial Cup tournament that follows seemed inevitable for the Ottawa 67’s this season. One of two CHL teams with 50 wins (the QMJHL’s Moncton Wildcats being the other) when the season was halted, they were a proper juggernaut, leading the OHL not just in goals, but also allowing the fewest, outscoring opponents by nearly a two-to-one margin. The season cancellation was therefore devastating news to a club seeking its first CHL title since 1999.
While the team didn’t get to reap the benefits of that stellar play, the young players certainly will when the NHL Draft is held later this year. We’ve already looked at Marco Rossi, who led the league with 120 points and is expected to be a top pick, but his teammate, Jack Quinn, turned a lot of heads in the 62 games he played this year.
Birthplace: Cobden, Ontario Date of birth: September 19, 2001 Shoots: Right Position: Right Wing Height: 6’0” Weight: 179 lbs. Team: Ottawa 67’s (OHL)
Part of the difficulty in projecting the two of them is deciding how much weight to give the strength of the team. It’s not just the two draft prospects who had exceptional years; four of the OHL’s top-nine scorers, and five of the top 15, played for Ottawa. No other team had even two players in the top 10. That certainly plays a role in Rossi’s case, as normally a player who scored better than two points per game in his draft year would be in contention for the top pick, not expected to go somewhere around fifth. The confidence isn’t there that he can replicate that type of offence at the NHL level, though he’s still expected to be an effective player.
Despite finishing 30 points behind Rossi on that strong team, Quinn is still regarded as a top-end prospect, ranking just a few spots behind his teammate, and at one outlet actually ahead. The reason for that optimism is that offence isn’t his only trait, and perhaps not even his most impressive one.
The most obvious quality of Quinn is his work ethic. He’s relentless in his own end when he doesn’t have the puck, and is a physical defender despite his average build. To go with that tenacity is a good awareness of what’s going on around him, allowing him to easily close down passing lanes and keep his man in check in defensive situations. While defensive lapses are usually features of top-tier forwards, Quinn is the rare prospect for whom own-zone play is a strength.
Those qualities aid in transitions. If he’s not the one who won possession and is carrying the puck himself, he’s finding a spot on the ice where he’s away from pressure to be a support option, and racing into open space to attack the blue line with speed.
He’s just as determined in the offensive zone, and easily forces his way to the high-danger area for scoring chances. That not only improves his opportunities, but opens up lots of options for teammates who had to be abandoned by opposition defenders as they react to Quinn’s presence.
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That close proximity to the goaltender is enough to find success in Junior hockey; many players go on to earn professional contracts based on their willingness to get to dirty areas. Other goal-scorers have shots that are so quick and/or precise that they’re able to beat netminders from distance. without needing to leave the perimeter In Quinn’s case, he has both of those traits, making his prospects of becoming an NHL scorer very high.
Often working in traffic, he isn’t given a lot of space to get a shot off, and his release doesn’t require it. A quick twist of his body with a short backswing is enough for him to generate a lot of torque to get pucks on net even if he has opponents closely monitoring him. An upward motion with his stick while his knee drops to the ice usually allows him to elevate the puck over goalies who believe just taking away the bottom of the net at such close range would be sufficient.
Add his awareness into the mix, and he doesn’t just fire the puck when his path gets closed off and hope the goaltender isn’t there to stop it. He’s often gauging the position of the opponents, getting himself to the best position before taking a higher-percentage shot. All of those abilities combined helped him find the net 52 times in 62 games; the highest goal total among draft-eligible prospects playing in at least the Major Junior ranks (Carter Savoie scored 53 in the Alberta Junior Hockey League).
Rankings
Elite Prospects: #16 Future Considerations: #20 Hockey Prospect: #6 McKeen’s Hockey: #10 McKenzie/TSN: #10 NHL Central Scouting: #7 (North American skaters)
In a first round filled with quality players, Quinn is one of the more all-around talents, which is probably unexpected given his goal-scoring numbers. Even if his finishing ability doesn’t translate — which it should given how faceted it is — his 200-foot game is enough to carry him to at least replacement-level status.
Other than the fact that’s he’s one of the older first-year prospects in 2020, concerns are mostly about his skating ability. He’s not particularly quick and does need time to get to his top gear, instead relying on his awareness and instincts to get an early jump on opponents. That’s not going to happen nearly as often in the NHL, where runways aren’t often left for players to build up speed, and that will limit some of his transition skills.
In a model based on his offence alone, he’s projected to be just about as effective in the attacking end as last year’s top goal-scorer, Cole Caufield. Only a fraction of his production is expected to carry over, but he’ll have little difficulty being a positive-impact player in the NHL.
Jack Quinn is a player who will be high on many draft boards. NHL teams may have some of the more skilled options and better skaters ahead of him, but we won’t be very deep into the first round when one of them calls his name.
TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
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