G.R. Patterson, Contributor
Whitewater residents will soon have something to brighten their winter moments.
In fact, the entire Ottawa Valley just may be tracking a local young star’s point production on the world stage. The Cobden hockey sensation Jack Quinn has been recently named to the roster of Team Canada for the upcoming World Junior Hockey tournament which will be held over the Christmas holidays in western Canada.
The hockey whiz kid Quinn will be enjoying an early Christmas gift by attending his first Hockey Canada event.
Coming off a magnificent 52-goal season with the Ottawa 67’s last year, Quinn was selected eighth overall in the NHL entry draft this summer by the Buffalo Sabres.
The local product took advantage of the down time during the pandemic and was happy with the progress of training he was able to do this summer.
After arriving out west at the Team Canada training facility this fall, team members were forced into quarantine due to some positive COVID tests.
Quinn felt the team was perhaps fortunate to get the extra down time to prepare for the tournament but, at times, the clock ticked along slowly given the fact that the entire team was so anxious to be together on the ice again.
Now Quinn is in his happy place again, back on the ice, preparing to compete for the gold medal with his new teammates for Team Canada. A very familiar face to Jack is actually guiding the squad -his 67’S coach Andre Tourigny.
Quinn is keenly aware of what Tourigny expects of the dynamic scorer from the Ottawa Valley and Jack plans to deliver on the scoresheet to help keep his coach happy.
During practices, Quinn is seeing time on the club’s top line and getting reps that will eventually see him playing in many key situations.
Asked about his upbringing in Cobden, he humbly referred several times to being self-motivated, having a consistent work ethic and always wanting to improve as a hockey player.
He seems unfazed at all the notoriety and attention he’s been receiving and is ready to perform in front of millions of viewers that will be glued to their TVs over the Christmas break.
“I’ll be gripping the stick a little tight at first, but it won’t take me long to settle down,” he said recently.
Both Quinn and local area runner Tristan Woodfine have been duly recognized for their outstanding athletic prowess and are now poised to make their mark internationally.
Family and friends in the Cobden area and beyond will no doubt be proudly cheering on their every move.
I asked Quinn what was in that Cobden water anyway?
“‘Mussie?”, he laughingly replied.
Here’s hoping Jack Quinn enjoys a monster tournament in Alberta.
Geoff Patterson hosts Rink Wrap on Valley Heritage Radio on Wednesday evenings and spoke to Cobden’s Jack Quinn last week.
