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

[Doug Prishpreed]

Yep. Seems like this is the guy he is going to be, the smallest 6'6" player defending around his own net we're likely ever going to see. There is no fight in the guy. He's an excellent passer and starting transitions, but man... the basic concept of how to use positioning and leverage just to push someone away from his own net has never even flashed. It's not there and no amount of having someone around on the team who can do that is going to miraculously impart that to Power's game.

Trade him.

He literally goes after the puck with his stick when the other guy is in the paint. Who does that?

His reach allows him to be able to defend using his stick in the D zone and it works very well, but for some reason he’s not willing/able to take a different approach when it’s in front of the goalie, where having a long reach doesn’t help.

 

[Der Jaeger]

Don't agree - there is no engagement to get near people or cover anyone. This is so not about hitting someone. It's simple will to win a 1-on-1 battle near the neet. Power does not have it. It's been years - this is the same way he was in Chicago. There has been no change, no maturation. He's 200 games into his NHL career and he's still waving his stick at pucks around his own net instead of just pushing his man out of the area. Being easily mesmerized by the puck is one thing, but holy crap is he ineffectively timid with just pinning someone out.

I think we are saying the same thing.

 

[slip]

Power was just following Samuelsson's lead last night.

Why does it seem every young defenseman seems to regress the longer they’re exposed to this coaching staff?

 

[slip]

I think we are saying the same thing.

You’re saying there’s hope for Power’s defensive game. Chain thinks it’s hopeless.

 

[paulmm3]

Missed someone had posted this already as the video didn't load for me earlier. Delete

 

[Jim Bob]

Why does it seem every young defenseman seems to regress the longer they’re exposed to this coaching staff?

I think the bigger issue is lack of quality veteran partners to mentor the young D they have.

Back in the day, they had guys like James Patrick, Teppo, and others. Who have they had over the past 5 years?

 

[HaNotsri]

Yep. Seems like this is the guy he is going to be, the smallest 6'6" player defending around his own net we're likely ever going to see. There is no fight in the guy. He's an excellent passer and starting transitions, but man... the basic concept of how to use positioning and leverage just to push someone away from his own net has never even flashed. It's not there and no amount of having someone around on the team who can do that is going to miraculously impart that to Power's game.

Trade him.

I think a legit nhl coach would help. Look at Granato's progress with the forwards vs. Lindy's regression.

 

[Fjordy]

I think a legit nhl coach would help. Look at Granato's progress with the forwards vs. Lindy's regression.

Maybe Lindy just doesn't fit in this roster? What about Marty Wilford, the defense and PK coach? A good partner for Power would make a lot of sense, too. Or maybe both?

 

[Chainshot]

I think a legit nhl coach would help. Look at Granato's progress with the forwards vs. Lindy's regression.

I have not nor will I likely ever be a fan of Marty Wilford. Retaining that guy instead of bringing in someone new? Ridiculous.

 

[Fjordy]

I have not nor will I likely ever be a fan of Marty Wilford. Retaining that guy instead of bringing in someone new? Ridiculous.

And promote Appert? I don't believe that Lindy didn't have any connections and options to hire a good assistant who would be responsible for PP, not even necessarily connections, but you can always find someone. I just don't get this shit. Okay, Terry may not want to pay for some UFAs (though they paid Zucker 5 million) and before that there were guys like Clifton, Johnson, but does Terry really feel sorry for spending money to change assistants? It's f***ing weird.

 

[Beerz]

Maybe Lindy just doesn't fit in this roster? What about Marty Wilford, the defense and PK coach? A good partner for Power would make a lot of sense, too. Or maybe both?

The regression started before Lindy

 

[jc17]

I think a legit nhl coach would help. Look at Granato's progress with the forwards vs. Lindy's regression.

This statement would have been considered ludicrous 3 months ago lol

 

[Fjordy]

The regression started before Lindy

That's also true, but then the players just don't fit into these systems of play or what? I mean of course I really don't like the way our team is built, we have so many problems at all levels, a poorly built defense, a very young attack and the team itself in general, assistant coaches, a stupid GM, idiot owner, so many problems.

 

[HaNotsri]

This statement would have been considered ludicrous 3 months ago lol

I always liked Granato and think he overperformed every season. Adams gave him a terrible roster and he made them rekevant.

 

[Ehran]

That's also true, but then the players just don't fit into these systems of play or what? I mean of course I really don't like the way our team is built, we have so many problems at all levels, a poorly built defense, a very young attack and the team itself in general, assistant coaches, a stupid GM, idiot owner, so many problems.

IMO (and can obviously be wrong) but I don't think the players received the coaching and skills training they needed during their peak "development years". This was because the organization kept calling them up too early and "going young", without quality coaching staffs in place to support them. Not to mention no veteran mentors who understood what it took to win in the NHL.

Now its like trying to teach medium aged dogs new tricks. It isn't easy and it isn't guaranteed to work.

 

[Fjordy]

IMO (and can obviously be wrong) but I don't think the players received the coaching and skills training they needed during their peak "development years". This was because the organization kept calling them up too early and "going young", without quality coaching staffs in place to support them. Not to mention no veteran mentors who understood what it took to win in the NHL.

Now its like trying to teach medium aged dogs new tricks. It isn't easy and it isn't guaranteed to work.

And you can add this to my list too, although I mentioned the coaching staff there. And a poorly built young team where the GM somehow decided that adding 2-4 right vets would take away place from his young players.

 

[Beerz]

I always liked Granato and think he overperformed every season. Adams gave him a terrible roster and he made them rekevant.

Granato was a horrible coach.. the fact that Adams gave him a terrible roster doesn't change that.

 

[Tatanka]

A scout I got to know at Steel games made an interesting observation about Owen before he went to the big M. He said if he was a F his skill set would project him as a bottom 6 grinder. He has no explosion, average hands and no bite. Now pick any of the bottom 6 and imagine they were a D. Would anyone worry that the team would be worse off moving say Greenway bc he was a poor choice at 1OA? I think not. He will put a lucrative career together but I just have not seen enough to question that scout's observation. Fwiw.