Jack Quinn's push for a spot with the Buffalo Sabres will have to wait.
Quinn, 20, tested positive for mono and is unavailable to play for the Rochester Americans until after Christmas, coach Seth Appert told Amerks team reporter Suzie Cool.
Quinn's 11 goals trail only three players in the American Hockey League – including teammate Michael Mersch (12) – and he has 24 points in 17 games. Drafted eighth overall in 2020, Quinn has missed the past two games with flu-like symptoms and a recent test revealed that he will need more time to recover.
"I don’t worry about Jack at all," said Sabres coach Don Granato, who added that he's never seen a player have issues recovering from the illness. "He’ll be ready."
Because of the Amerks' postponements related to Covid-19 protocols, Quinn, a winger, has not appeared in a game since Nov. 27. He's recorded multiple points on eight occasions, including five in the last two games in which he appeared, and he's been held without a point only three times this season.
Additionally, Appert said winger Linus Weissbach and defenseman Jimmy Schuldt are close to returning. Winger Matej Pekar is among a group of players recovering from the flu, and forward prospect Lukas Rousek, who underwent ACL surgery in late summer, is progressing well enough that there's hope he can join the Amerks at some point in the season's second half.
Appert and assistant coach Mike Weber rejoined the team after spending time in Covid-19 protocol. The Amerks (13-6) begin a three-game road trip Tuesday night in Charlotte.
Promising news
Early reports on Casey Mittelstadt following the 23-year-old center's surgery indicate he's not going to miss the maximum amount of time for his undisclosed injury, although coach Don Granato was not ready to provide a tentative timeline for a return to the lineup.
"What I heard was much better reports, like the best it can be, but I’m not going to confirm a timetable yet," Granato said. "I’ll have (general manager Kevyn Adams) do that. I’ll get confirmation from the doctors and our medical team further, but it sounded like things went very well. It was exciting news."
Roll call
Winger Drake Caggiula did not join the Sabres for their three-game road trip because he's still recovering from an upper-body injury. Caggiula has missed the past nine games and, according to Granato, is gradually increasing the intensity of his on-ice workouts.
Additionally, Sabres winger Alex Tuch, who has yet to appear in a game since arriving from Vegas in the Jack Eichel trade, did not practice Monday because he wasn't feeling well. Otherwise, the Sabres had full attendance.
On the road
The Sabres' two wins on the road (2-9-1) are tied with Montreal for the fewest in the NHL, and Buffalo's next trip is a difficult one. Buffalo will face the Jets (13-9-5) in Winnipeg on Tuesday night at 8 p.m. Eastern, followed by games in Minnesota and Pittsburgh on Thursday and Friday, respectively.
While the Sabres earned a point in the shootout loss to Washington on Saturday, they have been outscored 53-28 during a 1-9-2 skid that dates to a 5-0 loss to Calgary on Nov. 18.
"We can sit here and play the poor-me card, but the fact is, that will distract us from continually getting better," Granato said. "And we know our guys have such a high ceiling, we have to just keep doing that and it's going to turn. I feel it with our group, when that's going to happen. We just have to make sure we keep getting closer to it, rather than stepping back, and to (do) that, you have to be fearless and you have to keep moving forward."
Power to WJC
Sabres recent No. 1 draft choice Owen Power made Canada's final roster for the IIHF World Junior Championship, which is scheduled to run in Edmonton from Dec. 26 through Jan. 5.
Power, 19, has three goals and 23 points as a sophomore at the University of Michigan. He had 16 points in 26 games as a freshman. Power has yet to sign his entry-level contract with the Sabres.
Another honor
Williamsville native Andrew Poturalski, 27, was named the American Hockey League's player of the week after he totaled three goals and 10 points in three games for the Chicago Wolves. A forward, Poturalski entered Monday ranked first in the league in points (34), and his 12 goals are tied for the league lead. He could become the first player in 24 years to win back-to-back AHL scoring titles.
