Behind the Jersey: Patrick Quinlan

Written by Mateya Steblaj-Wood

Patrick Quinlan is a key piece of the goaltending puzzle with the Sarnia Sting. He is in his first season with the team and the OHL, and has become a calm presence between the pipes the team can rely on.

Quinlan was drafted by Sarnia in the 2023 draft, but developed in American leagues before joining the team. The season before his draft Quinlan was playing with the Bishop Kearney Selects AAA, where he often played in Canada. This is when he started to garner the attention of Ontario scouts. It was during the 2022-23 season when he and Sarnia Sting General Manager Dylan Seca started to connect.

Over the next two years the Kennett Square Pennsylvania native represented America with the United States National Team Development Program. The program, based in Michigan, is the team for US players in the IIHF World U18 Championship, as well as other domestic and international games. Quinlan said playing for this program was, “an honour and privilege”. His consistency and reliability in high pressure games were enticing factors of his game.

Quinlan’s goal was always clear, to play college hockey, but an additional year of junior development would be beneficial to his career. Lucky enough, the NCAA changed its rule ahead of the 2025-26 season, now allowing CHL players to be eligible to play Division 1 hockey in the league. Quinlan signed with the Sting in the offseason, and made his move north of the border.

The 18-year-old netminder noted that one of the biggest differences when joining the league was the amount of skill faced every night, he said, “It’s a really good league. Getting used to the speed was a little different. It took me a couple weeks, maybe a month, to get adjusted”. By just the second regular season game, Quinlan was the starting goalie, and would quickly go on to become the go-to tender.

Growing up, Quinlan was a Philadelphia Flyers fan, which he attributes much of his love of the game to. “I got to watch a lot of good hockey, especially when they were in the playoffs. I went to see a lot of games. That’s definitely where my love grew”. Although his father wasn’t a goalie, he did introduce a young Quinlan to the sport, he taught him how to skate and was his first hockey influence.

Quinlan wasn’t always a goalie, he actually started playing hockey as a skater, and later found his position. He skated out until he was around 11 years old, he said, “There was just one set of pads and everyone got a turn. After it was my turn I stuck with it”. He sees the experience of both positions as beneficial to his hockey IQ, he said, “It definitely grew my game both ways. I saw things from both sides”.

Until this season, the six-foot-one netminder spent most of his career playing in the States, aside from occasional away games up north. Transitioning to play in Canada came with some adjustments, primarily the physicality. “Playing here in Canada, it’s more physical. The OHL has more depth, you have to stay on your game for all four lines”. Quinlan had to quickly adjust to the grit and skill of each line, not just the top two.

Being half of the goalie tandem, now with Kale Ospienko, comes with the uncertainty of when which player will be starting versus backing up. “You always have to go into a game with the same mindset, whether you’re starting or not”. Quinlan focuses his energy on staying prepared and consistent in his training throughout the week. “You need to manage your reps and practice. If you play a lot of games, you need to be mindful of your practices”. He emphasises finding balance between games, practice and rest, he said, “You need to take time off and let your body recover. It’s not sustainable otherwise”.

Losses are different for goaltenders, they are the last barrier and the final outcome relies on them. A loss holds specific weight for netminders, it’s their ability to reflect on the outcome, while setting up a positive headspace for the next game that sets them apart. “You need to be mentally tough, and be able to bounce back after a tough loss. You’re not going to win every game, you need to be able to push forward”

The margin of error that a goalie can allow in games is so slim, because any slip-up could lead to a goal. “You’re the last line of defence. If a player makes a mistake, they can brush it off. If a goalie makes a mistake, you’ll get scored on. You know you need to be good every night to give your team a chance to win”.

The community surrounding the Sting are a part of the team’s identity, they show up every night, come to community events, and stand by the team no matter what. After only being in Sarnia for less than a season so far, Quinlan has felt the impact of the community to its fullest, he said, “The fans are incredible. This season hasn’t gone as expected, but the fans have been with us every step of the way and haven’t wavered in support at all”. He said that for him and the team, the fans’ encouragement serves as motivation, “The support shows us what the team means to the town. We want to play well and make the playoffs for them”.

As the season is winding down, Quinlan is determined to be an anchor between the pipes as the Sting hunt down every point they can get, in hopes of finding the playoffs.