A few of the Buffalo Sabres four best players in the Top 24 and under rankings could be cornerstones of what is still a young team for 2024-25.
There was one player who should be listed, but his March birthday meant they missed the cut by less than two months. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen turned 25, and there is a good chance he would have taken the second spot in the Sabres Top 24 and under rankings, thanks to his breakout year.
When I first concocted these rankings, I included Luukkonen out of curiosity to see if there was anyone worth putting ahead of him, and I came up with just two players. One particular player also enjoyed a breakout year, and chances are, he will give the Blue and Gold an even better outing next season, especially if the No. 4 name is 100 percent between October 2024 and April 2025, and dare I say it…beyond.
So, who took the top spot in these rankings, and how do they stack up before what should be an incredible summer unfolds?
4 – Jack Quinn, W/Sabres
Who knows where Jack Quinn would have ended up had he not missed 55 games with lower body injuries this past season? When healthy, Quinn did a fine job helping to at least keep the Sabres afloat, and he took on the traits of a power forward.
When the season ended, Quinn notched nine goals, 19 points, a 16.1 shooting percentage, 15:38 of average time on ice, and 31 hits. His defensive play was brewing in 2022-23, but Quinn took on the traits of a power forward thanks to the number of body checks – on pace for 94 across 82 games – and that’s a trend that will continue as he continues to add muscle and strength.
If Quinn has a healthy offseason, he could be the one Sabre most fans will be excited to see in 2024-25. And there are a lot of good players to choose from, including a few on this list, like newcomer Bowen Byram, Zach Benson, and even Devon Levi if he takes on a full-time role in Buffalo.
But for Quinn to take that next step and solidify himself as one of the best players on this young team, he can’t miss 55 games. So let’s hope he’s healthy enough to play in 75-plus games again, as was the case in his age-21 season.
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