Player Discussion Owen Power, LD (1st overall, 2021) Gentle Giant

[Old Navy Goat]

That's what I was thinking. We did this with someone else a few years back. It seem like an ideal solution. I definitely would not want to burn a year. So NCAA to AHL PTO, then sign the ELC in the offseason for the next season start in Rochester. Lets do it!

Borgen did that in 2018

 

[Jacob582]

Sabres play regular season until April 29th. I'm sure there will be NHL games he can play after his season.

You don't dick around a 1OA draft pick. You let them burn a year if they're ready to leave college.

My hope is he gets some NHL games in and Amerks go deep in the playoffs and he can play there. I think AHL rules allow that for newly signed, even if they are not on the end of season roster.

 

[valet]

Sabres play regular season until April 29th. I'm sure there will be NHL games he can play after his season.

You don't dick around a 1OA draft pick. You let them burn a year if they're ready to leave college.

My hope is he gets some NHL games in and Amerks go deep in the playoffs and he can play there. I think AHL rules allow that for newly signed, even if they are not on the end of season roster.

idk where power truly is in his development, whether he’s ‘ready’ or not, but i will say that i feel a lot more confident in our current coaching staff to ease any bumps in the road if he’s with the big club and ‘not ready’. on the flip side, i also don’t see how another year in college would hurt. we got time

 

[Jacob582]

idk where power truly is in his development, whether he’s ‘ready’ or not, but i will say that i feel a lot more confident in our current coaching staff to ease any bumps in the road if he’s with the big club and ‘not ready’. on the flip side, i also don’t see how another year in college would hurt. we got time

I wanted him in Buffalo at the start, until I saw what our team plan was. I think KA will do a rebuild/youth development this year and try to be more competitve next year.

I'm now glad he is going back.

 

[Ace]

I mean he’s probably ready to work into an nhl team and if the Sabres had planned to ice one I’d probably care about what he decides to do

 

[Bonin21]

You let them burn a year if they're ready to leave college.

Why, if you're going to totally suck? Why get him one year closer to UFA?

 

[Jacob582]

Why, if you're going to totally suck? Why get him one year closer to UFA?

Sure, it's in the team's self interest to get the player signed and not burn the 1st year if they don't need to.

It's usually in the players self interest to burn that first year.

So the question is; who compromises? And is either side willing to use their leverage to get their way?

It's a mixed bag:
Makar and McAvoy both signed after their 2nd college season and burned the first year. But they also contributed in the playoffs.

Werenski signed and played in the AHL after his college season.

Quinn Hughes signed after his college season and burned the 1st year (no playoffs).

 

[Bonin21]

He's made it extremely clear he has no problem with another year at Michigan. That is the decision. Easy as they come.

 

[Old Navy Goat]

Why, if you're going to totally suck? Why get him one year closer to UFA?

Signing after their NCAA season only burns a year from their ELC but doesn't accrue towards the 7yrs service

 

[Bonin21]

Signing after their NCAA season only burns a year from their ELC but doesn't accrue towards the 7yrs service

Well ya of course you sign him right AFTER the season. I'm talking about the decision of whether or not to sign him now is easy.

 

[Fezzy126]

No surprise here:

 

[Jim Bob]

No surprise here:

 

[Zman5778]

Excellent. Sign him when UM's season is over and get him a taste of pro hockey.

 

[tsujimoto74]

No surprise here:

Good. Let the kid develop.

 

[Dirty Dog]

Really happy with the choice to go back! I had a strong gut feeling this team was going to push hard for him to sign his ELC now.

Glad to be wrong

 

[MarkusKetterer]

No surprise here:

Good. Let him go back, get a college year in, try to get a gold at the WJC, win a college championship, then either sign him (if he wants) or let him play at the Worlds again.

I think if they had won last year, he’d be more inclined to sign.

 

[Paxon]

Good. Let him go back, get a college year in, try to get a gold at the WJC, win a college championship, then either sign him (if he wants) or let him play at the Worlds again.

I think if they had won last year, he’d be more inclined to sign.

I don't really think it was an issue of him being disinclined to sign. If the Sabres said signing was what's best for his development I reckon he would have.

 

[flashsabre]

Absolute best decision. Kid has a lot of upside but a lot of development ahead of him. Has aspects of his game he needs to improve and needs to add some more man muscle to his frame.

Let him play in a winning environment on a powerhouse at Michigan with future Sabre Portillo, let him play in the WJCs and the Frozen Four.

Great decision for his development.

 

[BG82]

It's a lost year next year.. Let the kid win some games in college, WJC etc.

 

[hotcabbagesoup]

Well done.

You guys made the right decision with this one.

And by 'you guys', I mean you the fans.

 

[Bobby Bottle Service]

Bring him up for the playoffs.

 

[hizzoner]

Bring him up for the playoffs.

You think Rochester will go that deep?

 

[HyperX]

Only 1st overall since 2007 to not go to the NHL

 

[OkimLom]

Bring him up for the playoffs.

I mean if he wants to travel to Buffalo to watch the playoffs in a bar, then I say let him, but I'm not going to volunteer to go pick him up and bring him here.

 

[Zman5778]

Only 1st overall since 2007 to not go to the NHL

Yep. Doesn't matter to me. I feel like this is absolutely the best thing for his development.