Sabres believe Owen Power could make NHL debut this season

Many were surprised this past summer when it was announced that Owen Power would return to the University of Michigan for his sophomore season rather than immediately play for the Buffalo Sabres.

With Power's decision, he became the first number one overall pick since 2006, when Erik Johnson chose to play for the University of Minnesota rather than play as an 18-year-old for the St. Louis Blues. It seems to have been a good decision by Power to this point, as the Sabres have struggled while he has 26 points in 23 games for Michigan. Even better, he is getting the opportunity to represent Team Canada at the upcoming 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. As if that alone wouldn't be a crazy enough season, it sounds as though he could too make his NHL debut before the 2021-22 season wraps up.

«We've got open communication. We're on the same page,» Sabres GM Kevyn Adams said in regards to conversations with Power's agent, Pat Brisson. «Owen, in terms of what we've seen when we drafted him, is everything that we were hoping as we moved into this year: a player that can be big minutes at the highest level, playing in all situations, and has the growth mindset of 'How do I get better? I just want to be a dominant player.' He doesn't just want to come in and play, and I think that's part of the process he's gone through of why he wanted to go back to school, it's, 'I think I can do more, I can get better and I can be more ready.' So he's taken those steps."

«But yeah, we've had those conversations and we're getting excited for sure.»

In order for this to work, Power would first have to finish his season with Michigan, and then sign an entry-level deal with the Sabres. Given the fact that he will certainly be playing in the NHL in 2022-23, it doesn't seem like a major stretch we may get to see him this season. That would certainly be exciting for Sabres fans, who haven't had much to get excited about in recent years.

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