Player Discussion Owen Power, D (1st overall, 2021) Calder Finalist

[My Cozen Dylan]

Definitely don’t want to give up on a 21 year old defenseman. But if we don’t see progress in his intelligence, I’m fine with him being the centerpiece of a blockbuster to get an elite player.

 

[Chainshot]

On a night of bad, he was uniquely bad.

We cannot Risto this guy.

They're very different players. Power's issue right now seems to be a shocking lack of confidence with the puck on his stick below the faceoff circles in the defensive zone coupled with his ongoing problem of still being a massive candy-ass around his own net. One leads to turnovers, the other to uncovered players getting grade A chances. He's doing both and is absolutely floundering right now. It doesn't help that his partner is also prone to a gaff or three per game too.

 

[tsujimoto74]

They're very different players. Power's issue right now seems to be a shocking lack of confidence with the puck on his stick below the faceoff circles in the defensive zone coupled with his ongoing problem of still being a massive candy-ass around his own net. One leads to turnovers, the other to uncovered players getting grade A chances. He's doing both and is absolutely floundering right now. It doesn't help that his partner is also prone to a gaff or three per game too.

It's so bizarre watching him. He'll dangle and skate around guys in the neutral zone, make these beautiful rush plays, but give him the puck in the defensive zone and all of a sudden it's like he's handling a grenade. I do not understand how a single player can simultaneously be so good and so bad with the puck on his stick.

 

[SabresFan26]

I’m concerned he doesn’t have the it. He plays soft. For a big guy, most guys wouldn’t mind battling with him in corners or in front of the net. No competitive drive. Skilled sure.

 

[toomuchsauce]

hate to say "i told you so" but I definitely told you so

 

[Dirty Dog]

hate to say "i told you so" but I definitely told you so

What that he is having growing pains like any other high potential young defensmen?

I wish he wasn’t having growing pains like beniers!

 

[toomuchsauce]

What that he is having growing pains like any other high potential young defensmen?

I wish he wasn’t having growing pains like beniers!

if you frame the issue as "growing pains" then, yeah, it's all just part of the process.

but i don't think he's having growing pains. he's playing exactly the way he's always played. he doesn't play defense, never has, and it doesn't look like he's trying to learn, either. so, the "growing pains" haven't started yet. he's young, he's got room to improve. but he has to actually want to improve.

the reason I like beniers is because he's a try-hard. even if he's not scoring, he can still find a way to make himself useful. like, even if he's not Jonathan Toews, he's still a better version of zemgus girgensons. high floor. whatever you want to call it. useful.

it's not necessarily about the results all the time. it's about the way guys play.

 

[paulmm3]

Obviously Power is a well below replacement level player defensively, but gifted offensively. I see his defensive problems as somewhat due to being softer than a stuffed animal, somewhat IQ. The right thing to do is to hope him getting older improves his defensive game and stay the course.

I could also see him playing out the majority of his contract as a left wing, but I hope it doesn't come to that.

 

[Ghetty Green]

I’m concerned he doesn’t have the it. He plays soft. For a big guy, most guys wouldn’t mind battling with him in corners or in front of the net. No competitive drive. Skilled sure.

Sounding like the next Jay Bouwmeester

 

[Deep Blue Metallic]

Power has a great future.

I had hoped Girardi's tutelage would have improved his defensive zone play and using his size much more to his advantage. But these things take time. He's 21.

 

[HaNotsri]

I don't remember what goal but he just backs off instead of going stick to stick.
Looks like he crumbles under pressure and doesn't even get the basics right.
I'd trade him for a decent return, I don't think he's a great fit with the team.

 

[OkimLom]

Still would like to see him spend some time watching the game in the press box, or at the very least spend some time in the AHL. He played 79 of 82 games last season, and all 33 games this season. For a young player, he hasn't had the time to actually dissect the game and take a breather. It's very obvious that in the defensive zone he's overwhelmed. He played a season of uncorrected hockey, and is looking like he's that same sort of hockey again.

Buffalo is very much on the path to screw up his development, and they made matters worse by giving him a huge contract to add unnecessary pressure on the guy when he should just be learning the game.

The decisions by this organization, while they may make a little sense for the overall picture of getting ahead of everything to take advantage of young players production when you can, seem like they probably shouldn't have applied at the point they did. If Power was given the contract Samuelsson was given, I would give them full support for the move, but the contract Power was actually given was way too much, for what was even shown (production-wise) for him this young in his career. They went OVER-BLOWN with their thinking here.

 

[joshjull]

Still would like to see him spend some time watching the game in the press box, or at the very least spend some time in the AHL. He played 79 of 82 games last season, and all 33 games this season. For a young player, he hasn't had the time to actually dissect the game and take a breather. It's very obvious that in the defensive zone he's overwhelmed. He played a season of uncorrected hockey, and is looking like he's that same sort of hockey again.

Buffalo is very much on the path to screw up his development, and they made matters worse by giving him a huge contract to add unnecessary pressure on the guy when he should just be learning the game.

The decisions by this organization, while they may make a little sense for the overall picture of getting ahead of everything to take advantage of young players production when you can, seem like they probably shouldn't have applied at the point they did. If Power was given the contract Samuelsson was given, I would give them full support for the move, but the contract Power was actually given was way too much, for what was even shown (production-wise) for him this young in his career. They went OVER-BLOWN with their thinking here.

Another option would be putting him on the 3rd pair and giving him the minutes that go with it.

 

[slip]

His contract extension is simply inexplicable. It made zero sense at the time it was handed out, and it seems utterly ridiculous today. It hamstrings this organization in the foreseeable future with regards to our options with Power, i..e., good luck unloading that contract if things don't pan out with the youngster.

Adams got progressively stupider with each big contract he handed out over the past couple of years. The rush to lock down Cozens and especially Power so early in their careers at rates which could hardly be described as bargains has shattered my confidence in Adams to build a playoff team, let alone a cup contender.

 

[OkimLom]

Another option would be putting him on the 3rd pair and giving him the minutes that go with it.

I'm okay with doing all 3 options to be honest. But I don't think putting him in the 3rd pairing has the only actions, changes much in his play. I think the overall decisions he makes, especially in his own end is because he's not ready for that sort of speed and work that is needed to deal with it at the NHL level.

 

[joshjull]

I'm okay with doing all 3 options to be honest. But I don't think putting him in the 3rd pairing has the only actions, changes much in his play. I think the overall decisions he makes, especially in his own end is because he's not ready for that sort of speed and work that is needed to deal with it at the NHL level.

I’m thinking of him on the 3rd pairing as a recalibration of how he is used. It’s fine in development years to run a guy like him out for a ton of minutes. But it’s asking too much of young kid to carry that kind of workload for a team with playoff expectations.

 

[OkimLom]

I’m thinking of him on the 3rd pairing as a recalibration of how he is used. It’s fine in development years to run a guy like him out for a ton of minutes. But it’s asking too much of young kid to carry that kind of workload for a team with playoff expectations.

I get your mindset, and I agree pretty much with your thoughts on it. Either way, I feel we need to see action either from the coaching staff and/or management to be flexible on Power's path of development. Whether they do so, is out of our control, but right now things are getting worse with him, and Power working through this very rough patch doesn't seem the correct solution.

 

[Deep Blue Metallic]

I don't remember what goal but he just backs off instead of going stick to stick.
Looks like he crumbles under pressure and doesn't even get the basics right.
I'd trade him for a decent return, I don't think he's a great fit with the team.

Poor gamble by Joki on a bouncing puck in the neutral zone, and then everyone is scrambling. Think Power took the "prevent the pass, let the goalie handle the shooter" advice a bit out of context. I agree he should have stepped up on Marchenko in that situation.

But the entire team was horrific. I don't understand why you would single out a d-man who just turned 21, was a Calder finalist last season, and is probably being played too much and being given too much responsibility too early to develop properly.

And you call for him to be traded? I think we've seen more than enough examples of good players being traded and blossoming elsewhere. Let's not repeat that error with Power.

 

[HaNotsri]

Poor gamble by Joki on a bouncing puck in the neutral zone, and then everyone is scrambling. Think Power took the "prevent the pass, let the goalie handle the shooter" advice a bit out of context. I agree he should have stepped up on Marchenko in that situation.

But the entire team was horrific. I don't understand why you would single out a d-man who just turned 21, was a Calder finalist last season, and is probably being played too much and being given too much responsibility too early to develop properly.

And you call for him to be traded? I think we've seen more than enough examples of good players being traded and blossoming elsewhere. Let's not repeat that error with Power.

It's hard to know how he is valued around the league. I'm sure he'll play better but I wouldn't be against trading him for an older defenceman.
Ideal solution would be to trade picks+prospects for someone who can lead the 2nd pair and then have Power play a more sheltered role.

I'm just at the rage trade-stage in our yearly wheel of suck.

 

[Willgamesh]

Never develop our Young D correctly. Good Organizations give them a Veteran partner who can help mold/grow them and help teach them the game. OP has been given no help at all and told to figure it out on his own.

 

[Deep Blue Metallic]

It's hard to know how he is valued around the league. I'm sure he'll play better but I wouldn't be against trading him for an older defenceman.
Ideal solution would be to trade picks+prospects for someone who can lead the 2nd pair and then have Power play a more sheltered role.

I'm just at the rage trade-stage in our yearly wheel of suck.

I get it. We're all beyond frustrated.

 

[Tatanka]

Never develop our Young D correctly. Good Organizations give them a Veteran partner who can help mold/grow them and help teach them the game. OP has been given no help at all and told to figure it out on his own.

I have been watching Power long before he was a Sabres property, in the USHL and at Michigan. While you are correct there wasn’t a veteran presence to help him, he has never shown any desire to defend at any level. As one scout put it, “ he has great tools for a defenseman, unfortunately they are not good enough to play where he wants to play…in front of the other teams goal.” Maybe a bit harsh but watching him to date it isn’t far off. Until he realizes the defense is the most important part, all the other things are sort of meaningless. No veteran is going to teach that. He should know that by now.

I would like to see him in the AHL, but the 8 mil per year kind of kiaboshes that idea. Same with getting a legit LHD to push him down the lineup.

edit: I think they are stuck with him and I have to hope he sees the light and puts the work in.

 

[Chainshot]

I have been watching Power long before he was a Sabres property, in the USHL and at Michigan. While you are correct there wasn’t a veteran presence to help him, he has never shown any desire to defend at any level. As one scout put it, “ he has great tools for a defenseman, unfortunately they are not good enough to play where he wants to play…in front of the other teams goal.” Maybe a bit harsh but watching him to date it isn’t far off. Until he realizes the defense is the most important part, all the other things are sort of meaningless. No veteran is going to teach that. He should know that by now.

I would like to see him in the AHL, but the 8 mil per year kind of kiaboshes that idea. Same with getting a legit LHD to push him down the lineup.

edit: I think they are stuck with him and I have to hope he sees the light and puts the work in.

Yep, the level of engagement to actually defend has not changed since I've been watching him long prior to his being drafted. He's a gifted puck mover and there is how well he plays in the offensive zone - I've never seen a defenseman as comfortable pinching into space in the slot and holding position as he has shown when he's on his game - but my word there is a lot to work on and who knows if they will ever get him to the level to be adequate against NHL forwards in his own zone.

Moving the puck and the offensive side of the game, he's really good. The defensive and physical aspects of the game, he's still terrible.

 

[Tatanka]

Yep, the level of engagement to actually defend has not changed since I've been watching him long prior to his being drafted. He's a gifted puck mover and there is how well he plays in the offensive zone - I've never seen a defenseman as comfortable pinching into space in the slot and holding position as he has shown when he's on his game - but my word there is a lot to work on and who knows if they will ever get him to the level to be adequate against NHL forwards in his own zone.

Moving the puck and the offensive side of the game, he's really good. The defensive and physical aspects of the game, he's still terrible.

The other thing that worries me though less so, is that he isn’t an ankle breaker like Dahlin or RyJo and when he is pressured on the point he defaults to dump it in the corner whether or not we have a player who can get possession. If he has time can make good passes, but those dumps kill possession More often than not.

 

[Chainshot]

The other thing that worries me though less so, is that he isn’t an ankle breaker like Dahlin or RyJo and when he is pressured on the point he defaults to dump it in the corner whether or not we have a player who can get possession. If he has time can make good passes, but those dumps kill possession More often than not.

He regularly reminds me of Larry Murphy but in giant form. If used properly, I have no issue with that. That could be finding the partner who can cover for some of his engagement deficiencies or using him more in offensive situations instead. In the meantime, they are asking him to do too much (still) IMO.