Owen Power

[JohnC]

14 hours ago, Pimlach said:

Trade him for 1C.  That is very doable. 

Absolutely not! We already have a 1C in Tage. The assault on Power from many members here has me baffled. It seems that the underlying basis for the harsh reviews of are due to the fact that for a big guy he is not a banger. He will never be a banger. So what? Power is a tall and lanky young player who when he physically matures will turn out to be an anchor defenseman for us for a long time. It took some time for players with similar physical profiles, such as Hedman and Chara, to physically mature and become top tier players. 

I strongly recommend patience. He's steadily getting better and more confident on the ice. This guy's going to be a gem and be a player that Lindy values and trust. 

[Pimlach]

21 minutes ago, JohnC said:

Absolutely not! We already have a 1C in Tage. The assault on Power from many members here has me baffled. It seems that the underlying basis for the harsh reviews of are due to the fact that for a big guy he is not a banger. He will never be a banger. So what? Power is a tall and lanky young player who when he physically matures will turn out to be an anchor defenseman for us for a long time. It took some time for players with similar physical profiles, such as Hedman and Chara, to physically mature and become top tier players. 

I strongly recommend patience. He's steadily getting better and more confident on the ice. This guy's going to be a gem and be a player that Lindy values and trust. 

I hope so.  It is really all up to Power to add a physical side to his game.  

[LGR4GM]

15 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

I hope so.  It is really all up to Power to add a physical side to his game.  

I personally do not believe this will ever occur. He might lean on guys a bit more as he ages but a physical game seems uncharacteristic for him. 

[LabattBlue]

1 hour ago, JohnC said:

Absolutely not! We already have a 1C in Tage. The assault on Power from many members here has me baffled. It seems that the underlying basis for the harsh reviews of are due to the fact that for a big guy he is not a banger. He will never be a banger. So what? Power is a tall and lanky young player who when he physically matures will turn out to be an anchor defenseman for us for a long time. It took some time for players with similar physical profiles, such as Hedman and Chara, to physically mature and become top tier players. 

I strongly recommend patience. He's steadily getting better and more confident on the ice. This guy's going to be a gem and be a player that Lindy values and trust. 

You say he will never be a banger, and then a sentence later mention Chara and Hedman taking time to physically mature.  Huh! 😂😂😂

[#freejame]

I’d like to see Power add more of a recovery skill for when his stick/reach doesn’t work. He’s got good stick work, but he can get undressed if someone is able to route a puck through it. It doesn’t have to be a check, but closing the distance with his body and slowing down the forward would help him immensely.

I think Power’s stick work will be elite by the time he’s in his mid-20s. It’s similar to what I said about Dahlin and his elite line work. If he can develop another skill to a high end level, he will be a #1 defenseman. 

[Pimlach]

Chars was a banger and a physical brute from day 1.  He got much better when he became a smarter player.  

[GASabresIUFAN]

1 hour ago, inkman said:

I too would like every defenseman we have to be Chris Pronger or Scott Stevens but there really aren’t many of those types left.  I guess Jacob Trouba but the list is short for a reason.  It’s a dying role.  If the Sabres had supplemented their highly skilled, highly paid offensive defenseman with some real nasty types, we might not be having this conversation. Unfortunately, the Sabres have almost all offensive dmen and the ones who aren’t we hate, see Mattias Samuelsson.  
 

Raging continuously about Power’s lack of aggression and physical play is only going to give you grief.  Owen Power is one of the best offensive dmen in the league.  He’s also very adept and clearing the defensive zone and moving the puck up the ice getting the team into scoring situations.  I wish he’d rip guys heads off but it’s just not going to happen.  Embrace him for who he is, otherwise you are just going to be miserable indefinitely. 

He isn’t one of the best D in the league.  He’s not even close.  I’m not asking him to rip peoples’ heads off.  I just need him to use his size to knock people off the puck, clear the crease etc….  Ruff wants this as well.  

I’m glad he is picking it up offensively, but of he is going to become a top D, he must be better in the D zone (as the Althetic’s Fairburn pointed out today) and be more physical.  Truthfully it’s not asking to much of a guy getting paid as a top D to play like one.

[SwampD]

On 10/22/2024 at 11:18 AM, LabattBlue said:

I don’t want to hear that in a few years he will be worth his contract.  
 

I would trade him in a heartbeat for a 2C.  

Right now, Power might actually be generating more offense than our 2C.

[SwampD]

11 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

He isn’t one of the best D in the league.  He’s not even close.  I’m not asking him to rip peoples’ heads off.  I just need him to use his size to knock people off the puck, clear the crease etc….  Ruff wants this as well.  

I’m glad he is picking it up offensively, but of he is going to become a top D, he must be better in the D zone (as the Althetic’s Fairburn pointed out today) and be more physical.  Truthfully it’s not asking to much of a guy getting paid as a top D to play like one.

Actually, last year there was a stat for defensemen that he was the best at. Can’t remember what it was. So he’s at least close. I think he’s going to be special.

Even if his head does look like Gumby.

[Porous Five Hole]

27 minutes ago, SwampD said:

Right now, Power might actually be generating more offense than our 2C.

You’re being generous to say might.  Cozens is a mess.  

[ska-T Chitown]

27 minutes ago, SwampD said:

Actually, last year there was a stat for defensemen that he was the best at. Can’t remember what it was. So he’s at least close.

Wasn't it zone exit passing or something like that?

[mjd1001]

51 minutes ago, Porous Five Hole said:

You’re being generous to say might.  Cozens is a mess.  

I'm normally one of the first to criticize Cozens and stand up for Power...But as well as Power played last game on the scoresheet...over the last 3 games he has been a bit questionable in the defensive zone. Cozens, on the other hand, who is normally a trainwreck away from the puck, has actually looked decent (at least there haven't been any super obvious, painful bad decisions made by him).

 

[Mango]

1 hour ago, SwampD said:

Actually, last year there was a stat for defensemen that he was the best at. Can’t remember what it was. So he’s at least close. I think he’s going to be special.

Even if his head does look like Gumby.

 

44 minutes ago, ska-T Chitown said:

Wasn't it zone exit passing or something like that?

He’s the best at something across the NHL, I don’t know what it is, but he is the best at it. So because of that he’s almost elite. 

I’m not hot or cold on Power at the moment but I find this hilarious. 

[sabresparaavida]

57 minutes ago, ska-T Chitown said:

Wasn't it zone exit passing or something like that?

I believe it was the long outlet passes out of the zone specifically.

[inkman]

16 minutes ago, sabresparaavida said:

I believe it was the long outlet passes out of the zone specifically.

On Tuesdays when Pluto is obscured by Uranus.  

[GoPuckYourself]

On 10/22/2024 at 10:50 AM, Weave said:

We should all change our handles to bot looking names.

I'll change mine to idemoBuffalo2.0

[shrader]

If his last name was Smith, no one would be complaining about the way he plays. 

[matter2003]

10 hours ago, sabresparaavida said:

I believe it was the long outlet passes out of the zone specifically.

Yes those stretch passes from his own end past the red line that spring odd man rushes and goal chances.  Has been exceptional at those since his rookie year...dipped a little last year but still was very good overall.

[mjd1001]

30 minutes ago, shrader said:

If his last name was Smith, no one would be complaining about the way he plays. 

Well, if his last name was "Smith" but he was a first overall pick a few years ago, being the same size he is, making the contact that he currently is and playing the exact same way, I think people would still be complaining.

But if your point is, just looking at his play and not his height/pedigree/contract....then yeah, he would probably be complained about less.

The physical part is something that can be hard to separate from his style simply because he is so tall. People expect him to be more physical.

But if you look back over the last 20 years, there are plenty of really good D-men that weren't physical at all:

-Duncan Keith, Cam Fowler, Chris Tanev, Roman Josi, Ryan Suter, Nick Leddy, Hampus Lindholm.  You know what they all have in common? They really didn't hit anyone (under 2.5 hits per 60, just like Power)  Many of them weren't beasts in front of the net clearing guys out. In their own end, they played well positionally, and vacuumed up loose pucks and got them out of the zone.

Now Power, He needs to work a bit on his positioning in the D-zone (I STILL think he is better than many say, when he looks bad its often the D covering for the Forwards not picking up guys going to the net), and he goes get spun around in front of the net a bit....but he will get better at those things with positioning.

I often say Tage is better without the puck than people give him credit for because of his size. With Tage, its like NLF zone defense. Him simply being there with his size and his reach prevent plays from happening.  Power can/does have the same ability.  Maybe he won't clear guys out of the front of the  net, but he doesn't have to 'chase' as much, he can stay in position and with his reach get to a lot of loose pucks and deflect passes (maybe even prevent them from being made) simply with his size and reach.

Some of that can't be taught though, some of it he is going to have to simply learn by 'doing'. He'll learn what he can and cannot do with is size and reach, and as time goes by, likely get better.

 

Edited October 24 by mjd1001

[DarthEbriate]

I think in the offseason I said I wanted Power to aim for getting 1 credited hit per game. It's not that he's a checker or ever will be. I just need him to be comfortable with the confrontation. How to hit, how to protect himself while delivering contact, pinching players against the boards and simply getting in the way. He cannot shy away from contact or fail to protect his goalie and crease.

Let's say his physicality right now is 1 out of 5. I want him to get comfortable being a 2, so that when this team makes the playoffs, and he's getting run every time he touches the puck in game one and the refs swallow their whistles midway through the second period ---  he only has to go from 2 to 4, rather than from 1 to 4. Because there will be players on the opposition in the Atlantic (first two playoff rounds) that will be playing at a 7 out of 5.

[mjd1001]

Over the last 2 years, the 3 players I have been the most critical of on this message board were Power, Krebs and Cozens.

For some reason, I have come around on all 3.

Power is making some bad plays but I think is overall game is progressing. I think he is on his way, as the season goes on, to being really really valuable

Krebs, for a short period of time, is looking like he found a 'lesser' role on this team but one he is actually good at.

Cozens. He makes some awful decisions on the ice without the puck, but the last 2-3 games he has been good.  And scoring? for months I said he's not a goal scorer, he's at best an 8% shooter.  But the last few days, despite him not having a goal, I think he is actually going to break out soon.

Of the above 3 that I feel better about recently, Power is the one I feel the BEST about. As the season progresses, and into next year, I think he will become the most valuable/best of the 3 by far.

[Phil Goyette]

On 10/16/2024 at 10:06 PM, Mclem06 said:

I hope our coach can sit down with him and show him some tape on his play at the net. It seems that anytime there is a goal and he is on the line, he’s standing there looking befuddled.

 

I wouldn't say he stands there looking befuddled per se....but he does tend to stand there looking.

Like he's a spectator.

[mjd1001]

1 hour ago, DarthEbriate said:

I think in the offseason I said I wanted Power to aim for getting 1 credited hit per game. It's not that he's a checker or ever will be. I just need him to be comfortable with the confrontation. How to hit, how to protect himself while delivering contact, pinching players against the boards and simply getting in the way. He cannot shy away from contact or fail to protect his goalie and crease.

Let's say his physicality right now is 1 out of 5. I want him to get comfortable being a 2, so that when this team makes the playoffs, and he's getting run every time he touches the puck in game one and the refs swallow their whistles midway through the second period ---  he only has to go from 2 to 4, rather than from 1 to 4. Because there will be players on the opposition in the Atlantic (first two playoff rounds) that will be playing at a 7 out of 5.

I am almost 100% against fighting in the NHL at this point. However, I still wonder, if this Sabres team had a TRUE heavyweight, if it would not make players like power, not only more comfortable, but play more physical.

If you are playing Washington with a Tom Wilson, or Philly with Nick Deslauriers...basically a team with a true heavyweight that you KNOW will go with anyone...and your team has no direct answer, then as a Sabre you may play a little more timid. You don't want to come close to, even by accident, crossing any kind of physical line because you know there is a chance YOU might have to answer for it.  Now, if you have that heavyweight on your team, and something happens, its likely you aren't going to have to go in a fight with that guy, you have a designated guy who will do it for you.

I'm not saying having a guy like that will turn Power into a physical monster, a hitting machine, but I think having a guy like that CAN make your team a little bit more physical. Lindy even mentioned that himself when he talked about coaching Rob Ray in the past.

Now, I know Aube-Kubel is one who fights quite a bit. I think he has 5-10 in his career, and even some when he was in the minors (which is actually pretty good these days), but hes not a heavyweight. He will fight pretty often, and I can't wait to have that back on the team, but he's not someone that is going to bring that much more confidence, he's just not a 'heavyweight'.

Edited October 24 by mjd1001

[EM88]

29 minutes ago, DarthEbriate said:

I think in the offseason I said I wanted Power to aim for getting 1 credited hit per game. It's not that he's a checker or ever will be. I just need him to be comfortable with the confrontation. How to hit, how to protect himself while delivering contact, pinching players against the boards and simply getting in the way. He cannot shy away from contact or fail to protect his goalie and crease.

Let's say his physicality right now is 1 out of 5. I want him to get comfortable being a 2, so that when this team makes the playoffs, and he's getting run every time he touches the puck in game one and the refs swallow their whistles midway through the second period ---  he only has to go from 2 to 4, rather than from 1 to 4. Because there will be players on the opposition in the Atlantic (first two playoff rounds) that will be playing at a 7 out of 5.

Yes. Plus if he is even just slightly more physical now, he may not get a reputation across the league that he is anti-contact.

[inkman]

On 10/23/2024 at 9:50 AM, Pimlach said:

Chars was a banger and a physical brute from day 1.  He got much better when he became a smarter player.  

Was he with the Isles?  He didn’t really lean into it until he was 23 in his 4th professional season.