He played junior hockey with the De La Salle Academy and the Windsor Spitfires. The property of the Detroit Red Wings, Quackenbush played for Detroit's minor pro farm teams until the middle of the 1950-51 season. That year he was loaned to the Boston Bruins and was reunited with his brother Bill. He played in 47 games with the Bruins. At the end of the year Detroit got him back and he was traded to the Chicago Black Hawks. He saw action in 14 games.