Owen Power leaning towards returning to Michigan

[MarkusKetterer]

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

Maybe. I mean I’d want to win a college championship along with a WJC gold before I played in the NHL. Or at least attempt to.

You can only win those during a short period (unless you become a coach).

Whereas you can win Lord Stanley’s Dominion Cup every year, even if you become a coach. Both are extremely hard to win.

 

[Oddbob]

I get that education may be his reason, but if he intends to play hockey for his career, hard not to see this as him staying away from Buffalo for a little longer. Honest question, is he considered ready to handle 15-25 minutes a night, every night in the NHL right now? Maybe he doesn't feel quite ready yet, as not every young player is ready to go at 18 years old.

 

[Bandit]

Remember when Jack Johnson stayed at Michigan for and extra year and was vilified endlessly for it by Canes fans for like a decade even though he said he was gonna and Rutherford tried to pressure him like a stupid prick?

I do.

 

[fsanford]

Well there is a good probability the Sabres could be in the same spot next year, the kid is just putting off the inevitable

 

[Zach716]

Yes, we would hold his rights for 4 years if he ends up being the guy we draft. Some of you on this board are insane and need to get out a bit more after being stuck inside for so long

 

[snipes]

If he stays in college and re-enters the draft in 2 years there’s probably a high chance he gets drafted 1st overall by Buffalo again.

I guess if the Sabres are picking 3rd in 2023 you’re right.

 

[bossram]

Honestly, going back will be best for his development. Beniers should go back to Michigan too. Let them develop properly and become truly dominant college players, and ready to be impact NHL players in 2022-23.

Especially for Power. I see no sense in ruining his career by tossing him on a dog-s*** organization too early.

 

[Leafs87]

How do you know it has anything to do with buffalo he could still stay another year at michigan with any other club.

He states quite clearly that it depends who drafts him. This is a pretty clear don’t draft me Buffalo indicator.
However the reference to Makar, Mcavoy, Hughes coming in after dominating the NCAA for another year def makes sense. I’d be pleasantly surprised if a player his age can overlook short term gain for his long term career wellness. I would say he is probably the most NHL ready D man I’ve seen. He, Hedman, Ekblad and Dahlin are a rarity. definitely more NHL ready than either of the previously mentioned NCAA players were

 

[Whalers Fan]

So the kid could refuse to sign with Buffalo this year and re-enter next year?

Only if he goes undrafted, which wouldn't happen.

 

[93LEAFS]

In the NFL, potential draftees have the option to go back to college and not be taken in the draft until the following year.

Is that possible in the NHL?

No, the NHL isn't an Opt-in draft. You automatically become eligible for the draft if you are born past September 15th of 2002 for this draft

 

[Beukeboom Fan]

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

This level of hyperbole is ridiculous. You honestly think he is going to want to wait 3 years to start his NHL career? And probably forego $20+M of career earning potential?

 

[Beukeboom Fan]

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?

When was the last time a player was drafted where Powers will be and is NHL ready decided to delay his career 3 years?

He is going to be drafted by a bad team, like 98% of high lottery picks, and almost all of those guys sign. When they drafted Toews and Kane the Hawks weren't any better than the Sabres are now.

I can see deciding to go back to school for one year if Power think it'll help him in the long run, but this 3 year talk is just crazy.

 

[Kshahdoo]

If he stays in college and re-enters the draft in 2 years there’s probably a high chance he gets drafted 1st overall by Buffalo again.

Yeah, they can pick him over Bedard or Michkov, it's pretty possible.

 

[lawrence]

Maybe he is trying to convince Buffalo to not draft him so he can go to Seattle?

I recall Jack Johnson also wanting to go back to college for one more year, but Carolina didn't like that for whatever reason. I think he has the right to want to return for one more season at least. This time around it's a full season hopefully. Buffalo is a lot closer to his home town way closer than Seattle would be so who knows.

 

[I Hate Blake Coleman]

Does Buffalo need him immediately? I see no downside. The team also has no say until he signs a contract, no?

 

[Artorius Horus T]

Good for him!!! Dude knows that he is not NHL ready, 1 or 2 years in the NCAA does miracles, ask Cole Caufield.
Smart, level headed kid, there is hope for humankind after all.

Even if he'd go 1st overall, he'd say "Frell! i'm not ready, i'm heading back to NCAA"

 

[Artorius Horus T]

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.

Dahlin WAS rushed, this season was an example season.

 

[Astyanax]

So the kid could refuse to sign with Buffalo this year and re-enter next year?

No, he is in college so he belongs to the sabers for 4 years, then can sign with anyone. Right??

 

[Hostile Offer]

Ridiculous to think this has anything to do with potentially being drafted by Buffalo. Good for Power if he feels he wants to go and play one more year in college, it might just be better for his development. He won't be losing a penny in the process long term. But unless something radical happens he won't be staying there for three more years just to be able to choose his team.

 

[mouser]

A Player drafted out of NCAA in their 1st year eligible for draft, Power is a late 2002 so this is his 1st year eligible, the team holds his rights for 4 years basically when his class graduates,
August 1st of 2024 he will become an UFA.

Will Butcher is an example and Jimmy Vesey

He does not re-enter draft

Adding in Butcher and Vesey as comparables might confuse readers since those two and Power are/were in different draft rights situations:

Power: drafted age 18 after first year of NCAA (rights 3 years)

Butcher: drafted age 18 before first year of NCAA (rights 4 years)

Vesey: drafted age 19 after first year of NCAA (rights 3 years)


Also while I’m not sure it has happened before, it’s not impossible for a NCAA hockey player to become age 18 draft eligible after more then one NCAA season if they entered college at a younger age. The current NTDP for those prodigies would make it extraordinarily unlikely.

 

[mouser]

No, he is in college so he belongs to the sabers for 4 years, then can sign with anyone. Right??

Three years. Power has already completed his freshman year of NCAA hockey.

 

[Nucker101]

Thing is, how hurt could you even get where someone isn’t still going to be willing to take a chance and give him a max ELC? If you’re supposed to be a 1st overall pick, there’s lots of teams who would throw away a couple million at the chance you recover.



Gotta be

This. He's a lock to get a big fat ELC barring something ridiculously unlucky happening, even tearing an ACL or something isn't going to make Buffalo just walk away lol.


The only thing he's sacrificing is getting paid one year sooner, in terms of his ELC, and in terms of UFA eligibility down the line.

 

[ColbyChaos]

I remember Eichel, Dahlin both signing right away and not missing a paycheck. Buffalo wasn’t great prior to them either. If the Sabres want Powers to sign, he will

Yeah nothing more encouraging like signing a contract with a team that just made their previous young core quit on them and demand to be traded. Im sure he is thrilled to not have Eichel, Dahlin, Reinhart, and who knows else demand trades the next few offseasons

 

[Sniper99]

Even if it's not far from home, he may not want to play for a bad organization. Bad management, bad ownership, bad culture, etc. Look at how Edmonton has ruined McDavid's early career and that's a generational talent.

How so? Is it Edmonton's fault he broke his collarbone sliding into the boards with Manning. Jesus to say they ruined his early career is just foolish.

 

[Sniper99]

lol, got a good chuckle out of that

same with your jokes that hes not going to sign with Buffalo. Hes not pulling a Lindros.