The Great Owen Power Debate RAGES ON for Buffalo Sabres fans
Owen Power is on track to record a career low in points this season and is yet again the subject of constant debate in group chats and social media for Buffalo Sabres fans. Is he good? Is he great? Is he terrible? This may be the hardest season to answer that question as Power’s role has changed with much more defensive responsibility and less offensive insulation. Power’s lack of physicality continues, but he also continues to be a very strong possession player despite that. Playing with Bo Byram has helped this year, but Power is still playing with lesser partners more than Rasmus Dahlin and Mattias Samuelsson.
Plus, a preview of the Sabres matchup with the Golden Knights, who are not a great team, despite their place in the standings.
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33 Comments
Power will never be Chris Pronger!
My problem with power isn’t that hes big and doesn’t defend, it’s that he is a liability defending period.
I wouldn’t even check powers stats until Owen turns 25. He is developing into a possible superstar. His development just needs his confidence. Look at where St. Sammie was 18 months ago?
If someone would just pee in his corn flakes then pour some vinegar on top ! Just saying , it sure would be nice to see a hint of physical aggression from OP. I'm still being patient with the young man , he does possess plenty of natural skill. Alot of other teams would love to have him.
Power is getting better each year, and he is going to get stronger. I do see him give the stinky glove to face more so than in the past. He is just not a fighter, and I am glad he is on our team. He makes the Sabers better and his upside is just going to continue to grow.
Tuch is TBD in tonight’s game due to an illness. Hopefully he plays, because we could definitely use him.
Tuch might not play due to illness.
Ok on offense, still sucks on D
Dahlin has had his own share of soft passes and turnovers too this season .
Owen power haters eat chalk
Owen power is a good litmus test on whether you actually know anything about hockey. If you think 99 percent of a defenseman’s job is to push guys in front of the net than you’re never gonna like power lol. Hes a great player, his defensive metrics are great, Lindy clearly trusts him defensively (puts him out there for big minutes, against top lines, in d zone draws). He’s incredibly important to the teams offense even if it doesn’t show up on the stat sheet, he’s amazing at retrieving dumped pucks and warding off forechecker and his break outs are impeccable, both when he carries the puck himself or when he makes a break out pass. This leads to so many rushes and offensive opportunities. But most importantly, this helps end other teams possessions instantly, and Sabres dominant puck possession when he is on the ice WHICH IS THE NUMBER ONE BEST WAY TO DEFEND, HAVING THE PUCK. Hes great at keeping possessions alive in the o zone and other than dahlin no one on the team is better at the positionless style of offense they play with the high cycle. He also never takes penalties which no one talks about. The physicality stuff will always be frustrating but all d men get more physical as they get older like Hedman dahlin and Sammy etc. he’s definitely worth the 8 million. Puck movement is the most important thing defenseman need to be good at. He was BAD at the beginning of the season. But along with the rest of the team, he’s been great over the last few months. He’s been half a point a game the last 20 games and he doesn’t play on the power play
You traded for two stiffs at the deadline to protect 6'6" Owen power and the other beanpole who happens to actually be worth protecting. 😂
Oh and Owen power in the" greatest game in nhl history" = 0 penalty minutes, 0 hits, 0 SOG, 0 goals, 0 assists in 27 minutes.
While his captain is fighting 😂
I’ve mostly enjoyed power this year . He lacks in certain areas but the trajectory has been going up
He really needs to ask stanley and schenn to teach him how to hit. Thats his weakness and its terrible. He could body someone and leave with the puck with ease but yet he rather stretch his stick out and defend that way. 🤔 He could literally be one of the best if he learned how to hit. I get it he is young a good kid and probably never had to play like that and never learned.
Power plays like a stoner would play. Lol😂😂😂
The guy has taken the step to be a minute crunching machine this year just like Dahlin. Having 2 guys you can play all situations for 30 minutes is an unbelievable blessing.
I can see an argument of “hey just give Owen time!”. My biggest complaint about him is his contract. At over 8m per year, he bottlenecks the salary cap where players like Tuch may not sign this year. That’s the hard part.
I’ve liked him slightly more this year, but you’re gambling your defensive future on pure hope. It’s these kinds of contracts that got us stuck with Skinner (who by the way we are STILL paying) and Cozens (thank you Ottawa).
I just hope all of this time and money pays off, when we could find a player for half of that cost.
People were ready to cut Samuelsson- Power is just 23 , my feeling is in the next two years he gets his man strength and watch out.
To me he is too much like Harry Potter waving his stick and I’d rather have him be like Paul bunion!
Most of his mistakes are mental, he'll get better. Perhaps he should consider getting a better fitting helmet. He kind of looks like Cory Conacher wearing John Scotts helmet.
300 games lets you know what a team has in a defenseman. He’s not a fighter, you can’t teach that. But I do believe our Sabres are getting an excellent defenseman who’s still young and will be a perennial all-star.
The GM made some underwellming trades at deadline relinquishing a prospect & picks. Grade C. As for Powers the first overall pick in the draft you can either assign him to minors or Rochester if eligible bc defenseman take time to develop. An initial entry level contract more suitable? Certainly for Z. Benson it was the case for progression to the NHL. Never the less the playoffs will be a testing ground for what it takes to advance for this group.
I dont think he is getting any better on defense at all. In fact, I think he doesn't want to play defense. He doesn't do much to help and when the big plays happen against us, he is normally on the ice not doing anything. Let him just keep scoring goals, switch him up. I don't think he was quite ready for what we needed him for.
I bet many teams would love to have this guy on their roster. What's with this negativity? Sabres are finally winning and I just hear folks not be happy with one thing or another.
He has improved by leaps and bounds this year. With that said, he has another level in him that it seems like he is holding back. If he can find that extra level he has, he would be a #1 for sure!
Power has been playing with a lot more intensity this season than ever before if you watch him in the TB game he was flying around on D with an urgency which was good
Lyon looking shaky, I'm glad UPL is starting tonight
I think OP is having a good season. Points wise, not what we expected but he seems to be playing his position better than previous season, which may also be hand in hand with why the sabres have been winning. Like Pronger mentioned, he watched OP growing into this guy, and he isn't and may never be the "mean" guy that he needs to be. With that being said, I think the playoffs will be an eye opener (hopefully) for him. This will be very rough on him as he will get hit, crosschecked, punched, and a lot of non calls from the refs as we expect in the playoffs. Its how he responds to them.
Hes playing with a knee brace as well so im sure his mobility is hampered a bit
Is Kesselring hurt?
Why do savers fans always go after the best players on the team? It’s been always that way anderchuk vanek who is in the Sabres hof. Mogilny crazy
The player I’d like Power to become is a Victor Hedman, and his Stats aren’t too far off to start their careers. In (roughly) the same amount of games, Hedman only had around 10-15 more points than Power.
However, Hedman was a -5 and Power is a +13.
Based on these stats, Hedman was slightly better Offensively at this point and you could argue that Power may be slightly better defensively.
That said, Hedman has been a perennial Norris Finalist (Winning it Once) and a Conn Smythe winner. Basically the only REAL difference between the 2 is that Hedman plays with intensity and an edge. If Power can somehow flip that switch, we’d essentially have our own Victor Hedman.
But Power needs to WANT that, and so far he’s not showing that he does or ever will.
Love the show my thoughts on Power is he's having a good season but finds himself out of position a lot and a turnover machine