LeafOfFaith
Well-known member
When Jacob Quillan was signed by the Toronto Maple Leafs as a free agent out of Quinnipiac University last night, Quinnipiac assistant coach Joe Dumais nodded his head unsurprised.
Dumais thought, “This makes sense” because he quickly compared Quillan, a sturdy and competitive centre, to a player Dumais coached against and watched closely: Bobby McMann, who has actively worked his way through the leagues all the way to being an effective depth piece for the Maple Leafs.
“Bobby could skate, compete and win battles,” Dumais said. “And Quillan is very similar in that sense. He’s not as tall as Bobby, but he’s as thick as anyone I’ve ever seen. He’s a big kid and his ability to win battles and races is really high-end.”
“(Quillan) just has it in him. He showed up with that work ethic. From day one, he was a beast in the weight room and in practice,” Dumais said. “He’s a kid that doesn’t come around too often, with the way he works every single day.”
Like McMann, the versatility in Quillan’s game is part of what made him so attractive to the Leafs. Quillan can skate well, play with pace at both centre and the wing, has the hockey IQ to skate beside skilled players higher up the lineup and the defensive acumen to be just as much of a fit in a fourth-line role.
Credit: The Athletic
Dumais thought, “This makes sense” because he quickly compared Quillan, a sturdy and competitive centre, to a player Dumais coached against and watched closely: Bobby McMann, who has actively worked his way through the leagues all the way to being an effective depth piece for the Maple Leafs.
“Bobby could skate, compete and win battles,” Dumais said. “And Quillan is very similar in that sense. He’s not as tall as Bobby, but he’s as thick as anyone I’ve ever seen. He’s a big kid and his ability to win battles and races is really high-end.”
“(Quillan) just has it in him. He showed up with that work ethic. From day one, he was a beast in the weight room and in practice,” Dumais said. “He’s a kid that doesn’t come around too often, with the way he works every single day.”
Like McMann, the versatility in Quillan’s game is part of what made him so attractive to the Leafs. Quillan can skate well, play with pace at both centre and the wing, has the hockey IQ to skate beside skilled players higher up the lineup and the defensive acumen to be just as much of a fit in a fourth-line role.
Credit: The Athletic
