If New York Rangers fans want a scouting report on their new head coach, they should turn their attention 850 miles southwest, where a pair of prospects are just the latest to sing his praises.
Center Patrick Harper and defenseman David Farrance played for David Quinn at Boston University, and now find themselves in the Nashville Predators' deep prospect pipeline. Meanwhile, Quinn moved on to the Rangers this offseason, but his impact has stuck with them.
"He was great to me, played me in all situations, and just from a development standpoint he really stressed to learn how to play a 200-foot game," Harper told theScore after the Predators' Future Stars game. "I think from my freshman to sophomore year I improved in a lot of areas that really only guys within the room and the coaches can see, or whoever watched us a lot."
The 51-year-old Quinn, also a former Colorado Avalanche assistant, spent five seasons with BU. He racked up 100 wins, led the university to the Frozen Four championship game in 2015, and was named the 35th head coach in Rangers history on May 23, replacing Alain Vigneault.
"He was great toward my development," Farrance said. "He's exactly what I needed. He was a very good coach, and he clearly deserves the job he got."
Farrance added that Quinn's emphasis on work ethic and focus helped his all-around game.
"I think I've become a little bit of a smarter player," he said. "I think I've gotten better at finding plays (and) making the smart simple play over the complicated, hard play."
Quinn's system at BU was based on puck possession and playing the "200-foot game" that Harper alluded to, which means aggressive forechecking and backchecking from forwards who are charged with playing hard at both ends of the ice. The coach's commitment to those tenets paid dividends for the team, and for several established NHLers who blossomed under his tutelage.
Arizona forward Clayton Keller, who spent one year at BU under Quinn, has earned high praise from Coyotes general manager John Chayka for being a solid defensive player. Chayka has specifically referenced how Keller uses his stick and the way he reads the ice.
Meanwhile, Buffalo Sabres forward Jack Eichel is perhaps Quinn's best-known former player. Despite playing on a less-than-stellar Sabres team, Eichel continually makes sound defensive plays, knowing when to transition the puck out of his own zone. According to data collected by NHL Network analyst Mike Kelly, Eichel averaged 10.4 controlled zone exits per game in 2016-17, and had 542 controlled exits and entries halfway through the 2017-18 season, which ranked fourth among all forwards.
That style of play lines up well with the direction the NHL is trending. It made Quinn the perfect person to develop college prospects, and could make him a great fit to groom young, skilled NHLers.
However, ask anyone about Quinn's greatest quality as a coach, and they'll likely tell you it's how effective he is at building relationships. It's evident when speaking to his former players - from Eichel to Jordan Greenway to Charlie McAvoy - as they've echoed that sentiment to a man.
Eichel, the No. 2 pick in the 2015 draft, praised Quinn for helping him adjust to life as one of the top prospects in the world while in college - a status that came with plenty of unwanted scrutiny.
"It's been unbelievable," Eichel told the Boston Globe in March 2015 about playing for Quinn. "He is definitely one of the main reasons for my success. (He gave me) advice off the ice, if I was struggling socially, or on the ice, he has been super supportive. He has coached at all different levels and he has a lot of experiences of his own so he has been able to pass it on to me. He has given me some very good advice.”
Meanwhile, Quinn has often acknowledged the value of connecting with those who play for him.
"The only way you will have a chance to develop a player is with a trust factor, and the more time you put in with him and the more time you put into him and he realizes that you care, that is where the trust comes in," Quinn told reporters at his introductory Rangers news conference. "You can do all the fancy drills that you want but if there isn't a connection between the coach and player, you have a hard time developing. The kids want to know why and the communication pieces is so important."
Harper credits Quinn for doing the same with him.
"He's helped me so much on and off the ice, with everything on the ice and then just being a better human being off the ice," Harper said.
Hannah Stuart keeps a close eye on both drafted and draft-eligible prospects and can usually be found trying to learn more about hockey analytics. She has previously written for FanRag Sports, The Hockey Writers, and Hooked On Hockey Magazine, and can also be found at High Heels and High Sticks. Find her on Twitter at @HockeyWthHannah.
(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)
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