Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR 550) – I don’t think Owen Power was really in the conversation for the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s best rookie until after the first of the year. Power had been playing well, but he also had stretches where he had some rookie struggles.
Head coach Don Granato showed a lot of confidence with the 20-year-old by putting him out against the other team’s best players. You could see Power’s confidence grow, because he was playing and, for the most part, playing well in all situations.
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When I asked Power how he thought he played in his rookie season, he thought he had played pretty solid.
"There’s obviously ups and downs that went with it, but I think I learned a lot, and I continued to get better throughout the year," said Power during his end-of-season press conference a few weeks back.
During the season, Power played long stretches with Rasmus Dahlin, Mattias Samuelsson and Henri Jokiharju. Some players like to settle in with one partner, but Power isn’t one of them.
"I think it’s a good thing," Power said. "For me, I’ve always seen it as a way to get better, because you learn stuff playing with different guys, and you’ve got to play differently with different guys. So I’ve always seen it as a positive, because it makes you better and you learn more."
The guy drafted right after Power atop the 2021 NHL Draft was Michigan teammate Matty Beniers. The Seattle Kraken forward is also up for the Calder Trophy, but he is playing right now in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, while Power and the Sabres missed by two points.
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Power is happy he is with the Sabres, because he sees great things ahead for the franchise.
"For me, it's been awesome," he said. "I stepped in at a good time last year as everything was going in an upward trend, so I think it really couldn’t be a better spot for me to be in. Hopefully we can make the playoffs next year and get on a streak."
Since Power joined the Sabres, they’ve had a points percentage of .572. The last time the Sabres had a points percentage that high was the 2010-11 season when they were .585. That was also the last time Buffalo made the playoffs.
Power is a quiet guy and stays pretty even. He was the young 19-year-old coming in at the end of last season, and he stayed to himself.
"It took a little bit, but I think those eight games last year really helped me fit in, and come into this year more comfortable," Power said. "But, for sure, it took a little bit. Now the guys did such a good job making me feel comfortable, it’s been awesome."
Just because the Sabres are looking for a top-four defenseman this offseason, it doesn’t mean he’ll play all the time with Power. He may start there with Jokiharju going to the third pair, but when Granato feels he needs a goal, he puts Power out there with Dahlin, so things in hockey are interchangeable.
