Pick #1: D Owen Power (University of Michigan)

[Curt]

1 hour ago, Weave said:

Yeah, none of that was tongue in cheek.  We've worshipped so many lottery tickets.  Tired of it.

Yeah, me either.

I enjoy following prospects and I can find hope in the Sabres group of young players, but pinning outsized expectations on any one player is just a setup for disappointment.

[Buffalonill]

55 minutes ago, French Collection said:

We CAN'T have nice things.

Prove when you trade 2 players you tanked for

[French Collection]

7 minutes ago, Buffalonill said:

Prove when you trade 2 players you tanked for

You’re not wrong, this team has been badly run for years.

You’re also a glass half empty guy who may never be happy without a Cup.

[Buffalonill]

1 hour ago, French Collection said:

You’re not wrong, this team has been badly run for years.

You’re also a glass half empty guy who may never be happy without a Cup.

Most definitely i might be dead in 5 years .

And sad part my father said the same thing and he passed away .

Now im going tell my son and the tradition of the curse of Buffalo  Continues to the next generation

[Thorner]

17 hours ago, nfreeman said:

Maybe Power is the Prince who was Promised.

Blind squirrel, etc.

I sure hope so. 

Could be. I'm certainly much more enamoured by the pick than I was a little while ago. 

We should tread carefully, though. Yes, Power is putting up a historic season, for his age, in the NCAA. In Dahlin's equivalent season, he was doing that in the *NHL*.

We shall see. 

Edited December 2, 2021 by Thorny

[Thorner]

15 hours ago, Curt said:

I honestly feel this.

They have been so bad for so long that I just don’t want to hear about the hyped up superstar who is going to save the team.  Been there, done that.

Give me a group of good players who work hard.  If any of them really do become great players, fantastic, but no one should be preordained.

So, yes, I’m also glad that Power is not getting hyped too much, and I also hope that the team doesn’t win the lottery the next couple years.

Wouldn't mind winning it if we do so from a position where it's not on the radar

[dudacek]

14 hours ago, Let's Go B-Lo said:

Ok, so calling for calm is now a bad thing. I'm in bizzaro world. You're right hype it to the hilts so the first time he takes a -4 everyone can jump off a bridge. Have we learned nothing from the previous franchise saviors?

You know how many points he has against teams currently ranked in the top 25? 3 points in 5 games and 3 of those games were losses. That's not opinion, that's fact.

You guys want to chastise me for not jumping on the hype train go right ahead.

I guess I don't see what I've been posting as hype. I've never once said "Whoo! Power! Kid is our ticket!"

I'm generally in line with what posters like @Weave and @Curt are saying. I don't believe in saviours. I believe in assembling a lot of good players under a coach who can bind them into a cohesive team.

But I see no problem whatsoever with watching what Power is doing and saying "Wow, that kid is having himself a special year." That's not hype, it's truth.

I guess that's me doing what I need to in order to cope with the Sabres continued sucking, and you're doing the same.

Edited December 2, 2021 by dudacek

[Thorner]

Power's season thus far at the very least has proven @GASabresIUFANcorrect in labelling him as (obviously) our #1 prospect. 

[bob_sauve28]

Power, obviously the best player ever!!!  We have a player who is the best., 

 

Yes!!! 

[dudacek]

Vogl with a relatively by-the-numbers tell-don't-show feature on Power:

https://theathletic.com/2999370/2021/12/06/born-to-play-hockey-owen-power-is-showing-the-sabres-and-michigan-how-special-he-can-be-on-and-off-the-ice/

Nothing really revelatory. Great kid, driven, seeks out coaching, person other kids want to be around...

“His focus and his drive are really special,” Karmanos said. “In my time working in the league, the kids that have that type of drive just make themselves better over time. He’s a really, really receptive kid, and that’s a little bit out of the ordinary for the top-end kids in my experience. Usually, what makes them the top-end kids is they think they have it all figured out.

“But Owen doesn’t. He has a lot of things figured out, but he’s also very, very willing to learn and listen. It’s all positive that way.”

On the ice, the article talks about how his skating, length and hockey sense give him elite range and unmatched poise.

“He is ahead of everybody in the way he’s thinking the game,” Sheahan (his former USHL coach) said. “But his true gift is how smart he is. He controls the game when he’s at his best. The puck is on his stick a lot, and he makes the game go in the direction that he wants it to.”

“The great thing Owen’s done all year is he puts teammates in position to succeed,” Paetsch (Sabres development coach) said. “He always puts the puck in the right position. He knows when to deliver it, where to deliver it.”

In the neutral zone, Power needs only a few strides to move from his left-handed spot to the right side to cut off a forward. And once opponents see his large body coming, they usually decide to dump the puck rather than attempt a play, which returns possession to the Wolverines.

“Defending, he just takes up that much more ice,” said Paetsch, who had a 17-year pro career as a defenseman. “It’s just simple math if you really think about it. His reach is automatically taking away more ice defending, and then when he has the puck it’s traveling that much farther, so somebody has to go that much farther to get a stick on him.

 

 

[Flashsabre]

The thing that has impressed me most about Power is his hockey sense. His ability to make skilled outlet passes when he is in trouble is really impressive.

[inkman]

On 12/1/2021 at 7:17 PM, Hank said:

***** you! Don't you EVER disrespect Dexter Morgan. 

Love me some Dexter.  Have you caught any New Blood yet?

[Huckleberry]

4 hours ago, dudacek said:

Vogl with a relatively by-the-numbers tell-don't-show feature on Power:

https://theathletic.com/2999370/2021/12/06/born-to-play-hockey-owen-power-is-showing-the-sabres-and-michigan-how-special-he-can-be-on-and-off-the-ice/

Nothing really revelatory. Great kid, driven, seeks out coaching, person other kids want to be around...

“His focus and his drive are really special,” Karmanos said. “In my time working in the league, the kids that have that type of drive just make themselves better over time. He’s a really, really receptive kid, and that’s a little bit out of the ordinary for the top-end kids in my experience. Usually, what makes them the top-end kids is they think they have it all figured out.

“But Owen doesn’t. He has a lot of things figured out, but he’s also very, very willing to learn and listen. It’s all positive that way.”

On the ice, the article talks about how his skating, length and hockey sense give him elite range and unmatched poise.

“He is ahead of everybody in the way he’s thinking the game,” Sheahan (his former USHL coach) said. “But his true gift is how smart he is. He controls the game when he’s at his best. The puck is on his stick a lot, and he makes the game go in the direction that he wants it to.”

“The great thing Owen’s done all year is he puts teammates in position to succeed,” Paetsch (Sabres development coach) said. “He always puts the puck in the right position. He knows when to deliver it, where to deliver it.”

In the neutral zone, Power needs only a few strides to move from his left-handed spot to the right side to cut off a forward. And once opponents see his large body coming, they usually decide to dump the puck rather than attempt a play, which returns possession to the Wolverines.

“Defending, he just takes up that much more ice,” said Paetsch, who had a 17-year pro career as a defenseman. “It’s just simple math if you really think about it. His reach is automatically taking away more ice defending, and then when he has the puck it’s traveling that much farther, so somebody has to go that much farther to get a stick on him.

 

 

Sounds like we got a Scott Stevens 😄

Edited December 7, 2021 by Huckleberry

[Weave]

3 minutes ago, Huckleberry said:

Sounds like we got a Scott Stevens 😄

Without the head shots 

[inkman]

52 minutes ago, Huckleberry said:

Sounds like we got a Scott Stevens 😄

Huh?  This Scott Stevens? One of the most physical, dirty players to ever play the game?  I’d be thrilled.  Unfortunately, I haven’t heard of or seen one hit by this kid. Like I find it odd how physical he isn’t  

 

[PerreaultForever]

3 hours ago, inkman said:

Love me some Dexter.  Have you caught any New Blood yet?

Surprisingly good. Thought it would just be a cash grab but it's pretty well written.

When it started I thought he was in Alaska though. Now it turns out it's just winter in rural New York state? Near Buffalo then 🙂

 

[Hank]

3 hours ago, inkman said:

Love me some Dexter.  Have you caught any New Blood yet?

Yes. I look forward to Dexter coming face to face with Bautista. I think that will be how the season ends. 

[Crusader1969]

On 12/1/2021 at 6:57 PM, pi2000 said:

If he wasn't producing everybody would yelling "BUST! TOLD YOU THEY SHOULDA TAKEN BENIERS!!! blah blah blah Luke Hughes is better!!"

In reality he's exceeding expectations and those same folks are now saying "OH HE's ON A SUPER TEAM, HE'S NOT THAT GOOD, HIS TEAM IS PROPPING UP HIS STATS!!!"

He could become the first player in history to win World Championship and WJC gold before playing a single game in the NHL.    

He's an exceptional prospect, let's enjoy the ride. 

its an epidemic....people just hate the good players. they will never change

[inkman]

22 minutes ago, Crusader1969 said:

its an epidemic....people just hate the good players. they will never change

False.  People hate being told players are great only to have them show up and be a pile of 💩. 

[Crusader1969]

13 minutes ago, inkman said:

False.  People hate being told players are great only to have them show up and be a pile of 💩. 

I can guarantee you people will hate on Power because he is 6'5 and not overly phsyical 

[Crusader1969]

19 minutes ago, inkman said:

False.  People hate being told players are great only to have them show up and be a pile of 💩. 

you saying that Eichel showed up and was a pile of sh*t proves my point.  Samson is another example.  

Edited December 7, 2021 by Crusader1969

[Weave]

21 minutes ago, Crusader1969 said:

I can guarantee you people will hate on Power because he is 6'5 and not overly phsyical 

One guy will hate him for being 6’5” and a minority will hate him for not being physical.

[Huckleberry]

2 hours ago, inkman said:

Huh?  This Scott Stevens? One of the most physical, dirty players to ever play the game?  I’d be thrilled.  Unfortunately, I haven’t heard of or seen one hit by this kid. Like I find it odd how physical he isn’t  

 

Ah just the quote he moves lateral and makes attackers dump the puck.    Not about the hitting.

[inkman]

2 hours ago, Crusader1969 said:

I can guarantee you people will hate on Power because he is 6'5 and not overly phsyical 

Yes.  We’ve had enough Mike Wilson and Tyler Myers.  

2 hours ago, Weave said:

One guy will hate him for being 6’5” and a vast majority will hate him for not being physical.

FIFY

[ubkev]

3 hours ago, Crusader1969 said:

you saying that Eichel showed up and was a pile of sh*t proves my point.  Samson is another example.  

Ink wasn't talking about Eichel or Sam.