| Owen Power | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Power with theBuffalo Sabres in 2022 | |||
| Born | (2002-11-22)November 22, 2002 (age 22) Mississauga,Ontario, Canada | ||
| Height | 6 ft 6 in (198 cm) | ||
| Weight | 221 lb (100 kg; 15 st 11 lb) | ||
| Position | Defence | ||
| Shoots | Left | ||
| NHL team | Buffalo Sabres | ||
| National team |  Canada | ||
| NHL draft | 1st overall,2021 Buffalo Sabres | ||
| Playing career | 2022–present | ||
Owen Power (born November 22, 2002) is a Canadian professionalice hockeydefenceman for theBuffalo Sabres of theNational Hockey League (NHL).[1] He was selectedfirst overall by the Sabres in the2021 NHL entry draft. Power playedcollege ice hockey forMichigan of theNational Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).
Power grew up inMississauga, Ontario.[2] When he became eligible as ajunior player, he was selected by theFlint Firebirds of theOntario Hockey League in the second round of the 2018 OHL draft and by theChicago Steel of theUnited States Hockey League (USHL) in the first round of the 2018 USHL draft.[3] Power opted to join the Steel to retain hisNCAA eligibility as he had already verbally committed to playing for theUniversity of Michigan. As a rookie with the Steel in the2018–19 season, he was named to the end-of-season All-Rookie Second Team as the Steel advanced to theClark Cup finals. He was then the2019–20 USHL Defenceman of the Year and led the league's defenceman with 40 points as the Steel earned the regular season title in theCOVID-19 pandemic-shortened season.[4][5]
Power joinedMichigan for the2020–21 NCAA season, which ended with the team being forced to withdraw from the postseason due to positive tests forCOVID-19. He was considered one of the top prospects for the2021 NHL entry draft.[citation needed] He was selected for theHockey Canada selection camp.[6]
Power was selected first overall in the 2021 NHL entry draft by theBuffalo Sabres, though he elected to return to Michigan for his sophomore season, becoming the first number one overall pick to play college ice hockey sinceErik Johnson in 2006.[7] During the2021–22 season in his sophomore year, he recorded three goals and 24 assists for 27 points in 29 games. He also had a team-best 44 blocked shots. Before leaving for the Olympics, he led the nation's defencemen in points per game.[8] Following an outstanding season, he was named to theAll-Big Ten First Team and was named a finalist for theBig Ten Defensive Player of the Year.[9] He was also named anAHCAWest Second Team All-American.[10]
On April 8, 2022, Power signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Sabres.[11] Power made his NHL debut on April 12, in a 5–2 win over theToronto Maple Leafs,[12] and recorded his first point, an assist on a goal byAlex Tuch, two days later in a 6–2 loss to theSt. Louis Blues.[13] Power scored his first NHL goal on April 21, in a 5–2 win over theNew Jersey Devils.[14]
Playing his firstfull season with the Sabres, Power registered four goals and 31 assists in 79 games. He led all rookie defencemen in both assists and points, and was voted a finalist for theCalder Memorial Trophy.[15]
On October 11, 2023, Power signed a seven-year, $58.45 million contract extension with the Sabres.[16][17]
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Representing Canada | ||
| Ice hockey | ||
| World Championships | ||
 | 2021 Latvia | |
Power representedCanada senior team at the2021 IIHF World Championship, where he recorded three assists in 10 games and won a gold medal.[18][19] He also representedCanada junior team at the2022 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. During the first game of the preliminary round of December 26, 2021, he became the first Canadian defenceman inWorld Juniors history to score ahat-trick.[20] However, the World Junior Championship was shortly thereafter cancelled followingCOVID-19 pandemic spread.[21]
With the NHL opting not to participate in the2022 Winter Olympics, Power was one of a number of young players named to Canada's roster to represent the team at theOlympic hockey tournament.[22][23] The event proved a disappointment for the Canadian team, who were ousted in the quarter-final bySweden.[24]
Following the2023–24 NHL regular season, with the Sabres not qualifying for the2024 Stanley Cup playoffs, Power rejoined Team Canada for the2024 IIHF World Championship.[25]
Power has an older sister, Emily, who plays lacrosse at theUniversity of Guelph, and a younger brother, Adam. In high school, Power also played basketball, volleyball, and lacrosse. He was a three-time national champion in lacrosse.[26] He has stated that lacrosse helped him in ice hockey, as he would learn how to find space in the attacking zone.[27]
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2017–18 | Mississauga Reps | GTHL | 32 | 9 | 24 | 33 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2018–19 | Chicago Steel | USHL | 58 | 11 | 14 | 25 | 10 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | ||
| 2019–20 | Chicago Steel | USHL | 45 | 12 | 28 | 40 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2020–21 | University of Michigan | B1G | 26 | 3 | 13 | 16 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2021–22 | University of Michigan | B1G | 33 | 3 | 29 | 32 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2021–22 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 8 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2022–23 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 79 | 4 | 31 | 35 | 24 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2023–24 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 76 | 6 | 27 | 33 | 28 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 163 | 12 | 59 | 71 | 54 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Canada White | U17 | 4th | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
| 2021 | Canada | WC |  | 10 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 4 | |
| 2022 | Canada | OG | 6th | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| 2024 | Canada | WC | 4th | 10 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 0 | |
| Junior totals | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||||
| Senior totals | 25 | 1 | 9 | 10 | 6 | ||||
| Award | Year | Ref |
|---|---|---|
| USHL | ||
| All-Rookie Second Team | 2019 | [28] |
| All-USHL First Team | 2020 | [29] |
| Defenseman of the Year | 2020 | [30] |
| College | ||
| All-Big TenSecond Team | 2021 | [31] |
| All-Big TenFreshman Team | 2021 | |
| All-Big TenFirst Team | 2022 | [9] |
| AHCAWest Second Team All-American | 2022 | [32] |
| NHL | ||
| NHL All-Rookie Team | 2023 | [33] |
| Awards and achievements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | NHL first overall draft pick 2021 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Buffalo Sabres first round draft pick 2021 | Succeeded by |