Johnson is probably a winger at the NHL level. I really don’t see a forward being taken before Power - personally, I still think Clarke is the best prospect in the draft, but Power seems easily the odds-on favourite for 1OA.
LD Owen Power - Univ. of Michigan, NCAA (2021 Draft)
- Thread starter MasterMatt25
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RememberTheName
Conductor of the Schmid Bandwagon
Finally got around to starting my scouting for 2021. Just watched his shift by shift vs Wisconsin from back in mid February. Wow. Insanely impressive offensive player and a real nice skater as well for someone his size. Almost always made the right play with the puck on his stick, which is really impressive for someone his age. Had a beauty of a goal as well that I really liked to see. Solid backchecking as well, he uses his stick really nicely to take away those rushes and break up some passes on defense. Was physical at times, looked disengaged physically at others. Defensive IQ seemed concerning that game, I counted I think three times where Wisconsin almost scored due to a terrible read/poor positioning/lack of attention from Powers, and other times where he seemed to be just puck watching. Might've just been a bad game for him in that regard, but it definitely was a little concerning to see. I see the hype with him, though he is very raw. I would give him at least one more year in college and maybe two to really clean up defensively. Stylistically, maybe a bit like Hedman, but I'm awful with player comparisons. No doubt is in my top 3 right now (don't have a #1 guy yet), but still gotta watch more of some other guys in the draft.
Ed Ned and Leddy
Brokering the Bally Sports + Corncob TV Merger
BondraTime
Registered User
Don't think he's overrated at all, feel he may be underrated as the season's moving ahead. Should be the #1 guy off the board.
Realgud
Not good enough for SKA
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If a powerplay could play Power on its powerplay, how many plays would Power make on the powerplay?
sorry
sorry
you don't want to overpower him on the powerplay. If he's not on the powerplay he can still make a Power play.
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Agreed. If he was 6'2 he wouldn't even be in the conversation.
He is a decent skater for his size, but when compared to other defensemen in the past couple drafts he is not agile and he has a slow first step. Not a guy I want in today's NHL.
People are hoping for Hedman but they are going to get Erik Johnson.
Power might even be better if he was 6'2 instead of 6'5-6'6. He doesn't use his size much defensively and his massive frame definitely hurts his footspeed.
Agreed. He doesn't play 6'5 at all other then the lack of agility you would expect at his size.
Comparing to someone like Seider that is similar size who is quick and uses his body and long stick in incredible ways.
Let's not forget that Erik Johnson was an excellent player before he took up carting under the influence (CUI).
He also was a fantastic skater without fantastic hockey IQ. Power is much slower but much smarter.
Johnson isn't a good comparison stylistically. He was a better comparable for someone like Jones.
Juxtaposer
Outro: Divina Comedia
Agree completely. The Erik Johnson comparison for Power needs to stop, they really aren’t much alike.
I’m not sold on Power as the top prospect in this draft, but I feel like there are a lot of people in this thread claiming he’s overrated who have never seen him play outside of highlights.
OgeeOgelthorpe
Riccis per 60 record holder
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That's why I've been saying for a while now that Erik Johnson IN HIS DRAFT YEAR and Owen Power look to be very similar players. A devastating knee injury probably cost Erik Johnson tens of millions of dollars and a few all star selections. He was looking like a #1/#2 D in the making in his rookie season.
You might be mistaking Erik Johnson for Jack Johnson. Erik didn't have questionable hockey IQ as a knock in his draft year. Jack did.
NHL Draft Prospect Report: Erik Johnson
Past Scouting Reports on Current Penguins
About Jack Johnson:
The Sports Forecaster: "Is an incredible skater. Possesses excellent athleticism, physical prowess and some offensive ability. Is better than average for a defenseman when in alone against the goaltender. Needs to avoid getting caught out of position in order to land the big hit. Could stand to simplify his game a little more so as to become a more effective shutdown defenseman."
Long Range Potential: Veteran Defenseman
I still think Owen Power is a top 3 prospect in this draft, and a top 4 or 5 in just about any other draft. There's a bit of a gamble with him but I think the kid can at worst be an effective 2nd pairing guy.
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DJB
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I'm not thrilled with his hockey IQ nor his puckhandling skills. He needs to up his compete and physical play.
He reminds me of a better Tyler Myers and thats not thrilling when picking 1st overall.
DJB
Registered User
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Yeah I agree. I wrote in the Sens forum that if he was 6'0 he wouldn't sniff the top 3.
canuck2010
Registered User
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The point is that he isn't 6'2". Let's let him grow up before we say he isn't a guy you want in today's NHL. If Guy Lafleur couldn't skate or Brett Hull couldn't shoot they never would have made the NHL. You can't teach size and reach.
Agree. Zdeno Chara, Shea Weber, Colton Parayko, etc. looked far less refined at the same age. Took them a couple extra years to put things together.
AlternateSideParking
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If you’re going to knock Power’s IQ, you need to provide multiple examples over multiple games. And that is after you provide a definition of what hockey sense/IQ entails.
Otherwise, you’re either clueless or just cutting and pasting someone else’s online takes.
Otherwise, you’re either clueless or just cutting and pasting someone else’s online takes.
And those guys were 2nd and 3rd round picks for that exact reason.
Has anyone knocked his IQ? I haven't seen any. I am a skeptic but my skepticism is around his skating and how he doesnt use his size.
Pavel Buchnevich
"Pavel Buchnevich The Fake"
But Power's also a better prospect than those guys. He's very accomplished with a better skillset at his age than those players. I'm not sure why his draft range would be so much different than Hedman's, who you might suggest was similar to those players with the main difference being he was a lot more accomplished and his skills were more developed. Thats the closest current pre-draft comparison to Power's skillset and accomplishments.
Most 6'6 players learn to use their size. I think thats a very minor criticism.
I think for 6'6 he skates pretty well. There are going to be very few 6'6 players who can lead the rush and skate past players with speed. I think of the 6'6 or taller players in the NHL that Power will be towards the upper echelon with his skating.
I haven't read the whole thread but I haven't seen any anyone stacking Power up against Chris Pronger. Obviously, Pronger was a much more physical and abrasive player but how does Power stack up against him in other areas?
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What is Power elite at currently? I cannot see anything that he is elite at. Hedman was elite at everything.
He skates well, for 6'6. But he is not a good skater at all. The only time his skating looks good is when he takes the puck from behind his own net and get the whole defensive zone to gain speed. He has no lateral agility and his first step is terrible (compared to players that are not 6'6).
Power is not the sort of player who wows you with his speed, skill, or physicality, but he also a player who almost always finds a way to affect the play. He is tall, somewhat gangly guy who has yet to grow into his body. I am not worried about his lack of physicality, which is overrated, anyway. If he has a long reach he can get to and cover players easily, and his height will allow him to use leverage on all but the biggest, strongest players. His shot is already an asset. He seems to be a smart player, which, IMO, is critical for Dmen.
It remains to be seen how physical he will end up being. Just a couple of years could see a big body like him put on 25-30 lbs, which will drastically affect his skating and power game. He will never be one of those smallish, shifty, fast offensive Dmen like Makar or Hughes, but that's ok- there is still a place in this game for a big man, let alone a big man who can defend and has an offensive game.
A very high end comparison game would be Larry Robinson. I think he has the offensive game, but don't know that he will ever have the physical game that Robinson had. Big Bird wasn't the most graceful skater, but he got where he wanted to go, and was a great two way Dman. You would hope that Power can do the same.
I will end with this. I have watched a good half dozen of MI's games, because I am fascinated with some of their talent such as Beniers, Johnson, and Bordeleau. Powers disappointed me at first, but the more I watch him, the more I appreciate him. Anyone who drafts him would be wise to plan on keeping him in college or the minors until he has filled out, and has got his body obeying him. It often takes longer with really tall players. Robinson didn't play in the NHL till he was 22. Playing him in the NHL next year would be a disaster in the making.
It remains to be seen how physical he will end up being. Just a couple of years could see a big body like him put on 25-30 lbs, which will drastically affect his skating and power game. He will never be one of those smallish, shifty, fast offensive Dmen like Makar or Hughes, but that's ok- there is still a place in this game for a big man, let alone a big man who can defend and has an offensive game.
A very high end comparison game would be Larry Robinson. I think he has the offensive game, but don't know that he will ever have the physical game that Robinson had. Big Bird wasn't the most graceful skater, but he got where he wanted to go, and was a great two way Dman. You would hope that Power can do the same.
I will end with this. I have watched a good half dozen of MI's games, because I am fascinated with some of their talent such as Beniers, Johnson, and Bordeleau. Powers disappointed me at first, but the more I watch him, the more I appreciate him. Anyone who drafts him would be wise to plan on keeping him in college or the minors until he has filled out, and has got his body obeying him. It often takes longer with really tall players. Robinson didn't play in the NHL till he was 22. Playing him in the NHL next year would be a disaster in the making.
