Owen Power leaning towards returning to Michigan

[EichHart]

Dude, nobody wants play for the Sabres lol.

No one wanted to play for the Bills either for over a decade. We started winning and everyone wants to come play with us now. Winning solves everything.

 

[Juxtaposer]

Y’all are reading way too much into this. Power didn’t get to go to the WJC and he missed out on competing for a National Championship due to Covid. I think it’s reasonable for him to want to do both of those things. He definitely could play a bottom-pairing role in the NHL if he wanted to, but what’s wrong with honing his game for another season at the NCAA and the coming into the NHL with the ability to be a difference-maker? Ask New York and New Jersey how well forcing their recent first overall picks to play in the NHL in their draft+1 seasons turned out.

 

[bertuzzi2bure]

In all seriousness I would refuse to play for Buffalo. Screw random fans you dont even know judging you. I couldnt imagine starting off a young career somewhere like that. These young guys need to look after themselves.

For the record I would have refused to play for Edmonton pre-McDavid as well.

 

[Snippit]

Mittelstadt and Risto probably the most glaring examples. Prior to that Girgensons. I wouldn't say Eichel, Reinhart, or Dahlin were rushed, but they were thrown into an absolute tire-fire which rarely is positive for development.

another big one is Alex Nylander, who was not ready for the AHL as an 18 year old

 

[WarriorofTime]

Y’all are reading way too much into this. Power didn’t get to go to the WJC and he missed out on competing for a National Championship due to Covid. I think it’s reasonable for him to want to do both of those things. He definitely could play a bottom-pairing role in the NHL if he wanted to, but what’s wrong with honing his game for another season at the NCAA and the coming into the NHL with the ability to be a difference-maker? Ask New York and New Jersey how well forcing their recent first overall picks to play in the NHL in their draft+1 seasons turned out.

Why would he care about the World Juniors? He got to play for the senior team and won the World Championship. I don't think he cares that much about a kid's tournament after having that experience.

 

[WarriorofTime]

another big one is Alex Nylander, who was not ready for the AHL as an 18 year old

Nor as a 23 year old unfortunately...

 

[Mickey Marner]

He might even go back for three years if the Sabres draft him.

 

[GermanSpitfire]

Hockey players don’t stray from the status quo. If Buffalo drafts him, he will sign. It’s just fans sh*ting on a franchise even though likely not a single player from this draft class is NHL ready.

He’s going back for another year the same reasons Jake Sanderson is going back for another season.

He wants the College Experience and realizes he’s not ready for the show.


This is reminding me of when fans were talking about Tkachuk not signing in Ottawa because “Ottawa”.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Hockey players don’t stray from the status quo. If Buffalo drafts him, he will sign. It’s just fans sh*ting on a franchise even though likely not a single player from this draft class is NHL ready.

He’s going back for another year the same reasons Jake Sanderson is going back for another season.

He wants the College Experience and realizes he’s not ready for the show.


This is reminding me of when fans were talking about Tkachuk not signing in Ottawa because “Ottawa”.

It's been proven time and time again NHL prospects will stay in college to hit free agency.. where does this idea come from that these are all just good ol' North American boys happy to play for any team and "aww shucks it's just an hono(u)r to be drafted" come from when time and time again we see if a player doesn't want to play for a certain team they won't?

 

[MettleMcOiler]

Definitely a Power move!!!

 

[MarkusNaslund19]

With Lindros, it was about not wanting to have to learn how to speak two words of french, not about Quebec being bad.

Not true. It was that he didn't trust the Quebec ownership and, as much as I dislike the Lindros family's decision, he turned out to be correct as they moved 4 years later.

 

[GermanSpitfire]

It's been proven time and time again NHL prospects will stay in college to hit free agency.. where does this idea come from that these are all just good ol' North American boys happy to play for any team and "aww shucks it's just an hono(u)r to be drafted" come from when time and time again we see if a player doesn't want to play for a certain team they won't?

“It’s been proven time and time again”


When was the last time a player the calibre and pedigree of Power refused to sign?

The closest example is Blake Wheeler but he was a MASSIVE reach at the time and was definitely not the calibre of Power at the time of the draft.

Fact of the matter is players sign with the teams that own their rights 95% of the time.

 

[CowbellConray]

“It’s been proven time and time again”


When was the last time a player the calibre and pedigree of Power refused to sign?

The closest example is Blake Wheeler but he was a MASSIVE reach at the time and was definitely not the calibre of Power at the time of the draft.

Fact of the matter is players sign with the teams that own their rights 95% of the time.

And when has a clearly NHL ready prospect waited 3years to make their first paycheck?

Every example of a player refusing to sign with their original team in the past 15 years has not been ready to play in the NHL directly after the draft. In fact, most only show NHL readiness in their Junior or Senior year. I cannot remember a time when a single NHL ready player did not sign with a team that drafted them and played for no money for three years just to lose rights….

 

[MarkusKetterer]

Why would he care about the World Juniors? He got to play for the senior team and won the World Championship. I don't think he cares that much about a kid's tournament after having that experience.

You have no idea how big of a deal the WJC is in Canada, do you?

 

[WarriorofTime]

“It’s been proven time and time again”


When was the last time a player the calibre and pedigree of Power refused to sign?

The closest example is Blake Wheeler but he was a MASSIVE reach at the time and was definitely not the calibre of Power at the time of the draft.

Fact of the matter is players sign with the teams that own their rights 95% of the time.

Which means 5 % of the time they don't. And it has yet to be determined if Power is part of that 5 %.

 

[WarriorofTime]

You have no idea how big of a deal the WJC is in Canada, do you?

So you think this is all about the World Juniors or getting to go to college fraternity parties? I suppose that's possible, but we'll see.

 

[MarkusKetterer]

So you think this is all about the World Juniors or getting to go to college fraternity parties? I suppose that's possible, but we'll see.

It has nothing to do with potentially being on a shitty NHL team. Every Canadian kid wants to win gold for Canada at the WJC, an amateur championship, a Stanley Cup, and a WC Gold and Olympic Gold are more on the “cool to win if I can’t win a Cup that year” scale.

The WJC is huge in Canada. It’s probably second behind winning a Cup here.

Besides this whole thread is on the assumption that Power goes 1st. Beniers has a chance to go 1st too.

 

[GermanSpitfire]

Which means 5 % of the time they don't. And it has yet to be determined if Power is part of that 5 %.

And that 5% is players that aren’t NHL ready when drafted, often times mid-late round picks who take 3-4 years post draft to become legit NHL talent. just off the top of my head in the past 5 or so years:

Will Butcher: 5th rounder

Alex Kerfoot: 5th rounder

Jimmy Vesey: 4th rounder

None of these guys had the pedigree the Power does.

 

[CowbellConray]

Which means 5 % of the time they don't. And it has yet to be determined if Power is part of that 5 %.

But it’s not 5% for Power’s situation. The number of NHL ready (or near ready) number 1 overall picks who decided to play for no pay for three years to have the ability to sign for another team is ZERO in the last 30 years. For number 2 overall picks? ZERO. Jack Johnson was traded to the kings. Wheeler wasn’t near NHL ready when he was drafted.

 

[DudeWhereIsMakar]

With Lindros, it was about not wanting to have to learn how to speak two words of french, not about Quebec being bad.

No, it was the owner Marcel Aubut. Lindros wanted nothing to do with him. He mentioned he would've been there if it wasn't for him.

With that being said, Buffalo shouldn't draft Power. In fact, trade the first overall pick to where he wants to go. But either way, I think Buffalo is better off drafting Michael Beniers.

 

[MarkusKetterer]

No, it was the owner Marcel Aubut. Lindros wanted nothing to do with him. He mentioned he would've been there if it wasn't for him.

With that being said, Buffalo shouldn't draft Power. In fact, trade the first overall pick to where he wants to go. But either way, I think Buffalo is better off drafting Michael Beniers.

Ah yes. The Taro Tsujimoto of 2021.

It’s Matthew Beniers. But I do agree with your premise. I’d rather him over Power

 

[93LEAFS]

another big one is Alex Nylander, who was not ready for the AHL as an 18 year old

That's a weird one. He wasn't gonna go back to the OHL, so it was either AHL or SHL. Steelheads gladly would have had Alex back, but not Michael Nylander as an assistant coach (his coaching consisted of running private drills for Alex and yelling at him in Swedish on the bench). And that wasn't amenable to the Nylander's.

 

[Breakers]

wow shocking

its not some massive shock that NCAA prospects who stay 2 years vs 1 year have a better track record of entering the NHL more ready than one and done

 

[Some Other Flame]

Smart kid. Or at least has some smart advisors. Buffalo's almost certainly going to be horrendous again next year after trading Eichel so why subject yourself to that and potentially derail your development and career? Better to

 

[Mickey the mouse]

Ah yes. The Taro Tsujimoto of 2021.

It’s Matthew Beniers. But I do agree with your premise. I’d rather him over Power

Maybe Power, Berniers, Hughes and Johnson all go back and play for Michigan next season ?????

Maybe they all have the same "Advisor" ...... Hmmmmmm