BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Sabres forward Jack Quinn is close to making his season debut, and it could be as soon as Buffalo’s Tuesday home game against the Columbus Blue Jackets, coach Don Granato said Monday.
Quinn has been out of the lineup this season after he suffered an Achilles injury during offseason training in June. However, the 22-year-old returned to practice in recent weeks and has been rotating in and out of line rushes.
“He looks ready to go,” Granato said. “The target [return date] originally was about this time frame, and then you go through all the progressions, which he went through at a pretty good pace … If it’s not tomorrow, it’s very close.”
Quinn’s return gives the Sabres a desperately needed offensive boost, as their goals per game (2.81) have plummeted from last season when they averaged 3.57. The 2020 first-round pick totaled 14 goals and 37 points in 75 games last season.
Granato added that Quinn will forego a rehab stint with the Rochester Americans despite his last game action being roughly eight months ago, citing the risk of “more chaos” existing in the AHL.
To presumably make room for Quinn’s activation off injured reserve, the Sabres placed defenseman Jacob Bryson on waivers. Bryson was buried on the defensive depth chart and has appeared in just three games this season.
In other injury news, forward Jordan Greenway remains day-to-day with an upper-body injury, and there is still uncertainty as to when he will return to the lineup, Granato said.
“His progression has been really good all the way to the final component, and that final component, we’re just waiting for that to resolve,” Granato said. “It could resolve tomorrow, it might not resolve tomorrow. But it impedes him too much to play, unfortunately.”
Alex Tuch, who is coming off a hamstring injury that caused him to miss four games, returned to the lineup Wednesday against Colorado, and will likely be receiving maintenance days at practice in the coming weeks to aid in the healing process, Granato said.