Quinnipiac Bobcats Offer Intriguing Prospects For Rangers To Sign, Draft, Acquire

Jacob Quillan (Undrafted/Unsigned)

Jacob "The Jet" Quillan was the MVP of the 2023 Frozen Four, outshining Hobey Baker winner Adam Fantilli, as well as top NHL draft picks Logan Cooley, Luke Hughes, Matthew Knies, Jimmy Snuggerud, and even his own team's white hope Yaniv Perets.

He's continued to turn out monster performances at center, standing at 6'0 tall and playing a 200-foot game. Those attributes translate into a depth piece at the NHL level.

Although Mark Divver reported on Feb. 23rd that the Hurricanes, Islanders Panthers, and Senators were scouting “The Jet” at Brown University, the New York Rangers should consider sending scouts up the Merritt Parkway to scout No.16.

“He'll be a great penalty killer, 200-foot player. A big thing for him is he brings it every game. ... very consistent with his compete level, very detailed, does a lot of things well", head coach Rand Pecknold told the New England Hockey Journal.

Shortly after the Bobcat's championship, the stock of the individual skaters quickly ascended into a new frontier. When Quillan's promising linemate and Arizona Coyotes prospect Sam Lipkin opted to stay in Hamden for another season, Quillan and Graf quickly followed suit and announced their return on the same day.

The Dartmouth, Nova Scotia native was set to attend the Winnipeg Jets development training camp last summer, but shoulder surgery nixed the opportunity.

The Islanders have the Bridgeport connection, which landed the organization Devon Toews in the 2014 NHL draft. Toews's connection to Hamden is still so strong he bought the team dinner on their first night in Tampa ahead of the 2023 Frozen Four.

Quillan may make the jump from the ECAC to the NHL as soon as Quinnipiac season is over.