WORCESTER—The Railers have a major hole to fill when the 2024-25 season opens as Shrewsbury’s Jack Quinlivan has retired.
Quinlivan, 28, first signed with the Railers as a rookie out of the University of Maine ahead of the 2022-23 season. He played 10 games that season before being diagnosed with papillary thyroid cancer in December of 2022.
After he missed the rest of that season to undergo treatment for cancer, Quinlivan received an invitation to the 2023-24 training camp and earned a roster spot. He made his return to the Railers lineup for the first time in 11 months on Nov. 10, 2023, in St. John’s then recorded an assist in his first game played at the DCU Center since his return on Nov. 17, 2023, against the Cincinnati Cyclones.
He was named an alternate captain for the Railers on March 1, 2023.
“I feel like I am in a good space where I can end it on my terms,” Quinlivan said. “I’m appreciative of the Worcester Railers for the opportunity to play professional hockey, especially in my own hometown. To have gone through what I did with my cancer treatments, and for them to have given me another chance with all of my teammates’ support and the organization’s support, it’s two years I will always cherish.
“Going to those IceCats and Sharks games 10 minutes from my house and eventually coming back full circle after Maine and playing here was such a comfortable feeling. That’s what made me so comfortable out on the ice, because I was representing something that I was so proud of to represent, which was the Worcester community.”
In 42 games with Worcester, Quinlivan recorded 15 points (8G, 7A) to go with 26 penalty minutes. He recorded the game-winning goal in the seventh round of a 4-3 shootout win against the Fort Wayne Komets on Jan. 20, 2024, as well as the game-winning goal with 4:36 left in regulation in a 6-4 victory over the Trois-Rivières Lions on Feb. 3, 2024.
“He did the game of hockey justice by always playing it the right way,” Head Coach Bob Deraney said. “He was a credit to the Railers organization and an inspiration to his teammates. We can’t thank Jack enough for all he did for this team.”
Before playing professional hockey, Quinlivan played 123 games across five seasons of collegiate hockey for the University of Maine Black Bears of Hockey East, where he was named captain for two seasons and an alternate for one. He played one season for the Boston Jr. Bruins of the USPHL Premier, and was a standout at Shrewsbury High School, where he had 39 points (14G, 25A) in 22 games his senior year.
“We want to thank Jack for everything he brought to the organization every single day,” Railers Chief Operating Officer Michael G. Myers said. “It is impossible to replace someone like Jack who embodies so well what it means to be a Railer both as a player and a person. He will always be a part of our Railers family, and we look forward to seeing what his next chapter in life brings.”
The Worcester Railers HC 2024-25 Opening Weekend at the DCU Center is Sat., Oct. 19th and Sun., Oct. 20th vs. the Reading Royals. The new 508 Club is now on sale for the 2024-25 season! Get access to games this season, exclusive events and additional benefits by calling the Railers front office at 508-365-1750 or by visiting RailersHC.com.
Bill Ballou covered the Red Sox for the Worcester Telegram from 1997 through 2018. He has covered pro hockey in Worcester since 1994 and currently does a weekly column for the Worcester Red Sox. Ballou can be reached at vetgoalie@aol.com
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