Quinn first became notable in the field of ice hockey as a coach of the
Montreal Shamrocks in the
1906–07 season. He was replaced after the season and worked as a referee for the 1907–08 season. He was the referee of the game, in
Cornwall, Ontario in February, 1907 in which
Owen McCourt died as a result of his on-ice injuries. He returned to coaching, for the
Quebec Bulldogs of the
Eastern Canada Amateur Hockey Association (ECHA) in 1908–09. He also served as the ECHA's secretary-treasurer. In 1909, he was part of the dissolution of the ECHA. He became the
Canadian Hockey Association's secretary-treasurer. When that league dissolved, he joined the
National Hockey Association (NHA) as secretary-treasurer. In 1910, he was appointed president of the NHA. He held the position until October 18, 1916, when he resigned. During his tenure, the league moved into
Quebec and
Toronto, relocating franchises in northern
Ontario that had been members of the
Temiscaming Professional Hockey League. Under his tenure, the league imposed a salary cap on its players. The
Pacific Coast Hockey Association (PCHA) was founded in 1911, and it became the NHA's major competitor, albeit in western cities, while the NHA operated in eastern cities. Quinn negotiated agreements between the leagues for the first regular
Stanley Cup playoffs, holding finals between the two leagues for the Cup, ending the time period of Stanley Cup "challenges" under the control of the Cup's trustees. He also negotiated agreements to respect each league's player contracts and a controlled draft for the transfer of players between the leagues. Quinn resigned from his position as president of the NHA after the
1915–16 season. He was rewarded with a silver tea service from the NHA in October 2016. He ended his involvement with hockey entirely. ==Personal==