Buffalo Sabres: Will Owen Power win the Calder Memorial Trophy?
Owen Power signed his entry-level contract with the Buffalo Sabres and appeared in the final eight games of the 2021-22 season.
Hopes were high for Owen Power when he signed with the Buffalo Sabres and the kind of, sort of rookie exceeded expectations. He scored three points in eight games while logging 22:05 of average ice time. He also showed his defensive prowess with nine blocks and six takeaways.
Sure, he could have been more physical, recording just one hit, and his four giveaways in eight games wasn’t ideal. But who cares? Power brought a new hope to the Sabres. So when he takes the ice for what will hopefully be an 82-game stretch in 2022-23, can he reach the next level to win the Calder Memorial Trophy?
Can Buffalo Sabres defenseman Owen Power win the Calder in 2022-23?
Power’s statistics, when you spread them across 82 games, would look like this: 21 goals, 10 assists, 31 points, 92 blocks, 10 hits, 62 takeaways, 41 giveaways. Moritz Seider, also a defenseman, won the Calder Trophy this past season. Below, you will find his numbers:
82 games, seven goals, 43 assists, 50 points, 161 blocks, 151 hits, 41 takeaways, 48 giveaways. Clearly, Seider and Power have their own advantages and disadvantages when you look at their head-to-head statistics. But let’s be honest: Seider outplayed Rasmus Dahlin. Go ahead and grill me, but there’s fact and everyone else’s opinion. The fact is, Seider outplayed Dahlin from a statistical standpoint.
Here is another fact: Owen Power probably won’t have the kind of year Seider had. The kid was unstoppable in every single aspect. But, Power also doesn’t need to put together that type of season to win the Calder in 2023.
The statistics measured across 82 games probably won’t win Power the Calder, but you can bet that he will make a jump in his first full season with the Buffalo Sabres. Personally, I believe Power will post better numbers than his on-pace averages listed above, but he won’t perform like Seider performed. Let’s take a closer look at this debate.
Why Power wins the Calder
The Buffalo Sabres wanted their defenseman to come in and get acclimated to the NHL in late April. He exceeded those expectations with the numbers shared in the previous slide. Power was also beyond busy last season, spending time at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, playing a full season at the University of Michigan, and he even spent time in Latvia playing for Team Canada at the 2021 IIHF World Championship.
Power was busier than most NHL prospects last season, so to come into Buffalo and perform as well as he did speaks not just of his talent, but his durability. Now, he has an entire summer to prepare for the 2022-23 NHL Season. He also built some chemistry with his Sabres teammates, meaning he’s not just getting thrown to the wolves come October.
Translation: Power is going to come in and perform admirably from Game One. But now that opponents have information on him, expect some speedbumps. However, you will see more ups than downs given his familiarity with the Sabres and the fact he has an entire summer to prepare.
Why Power won’t win the Calder
The Buffalo Sabres have been putrid at best over the last 11 seasons. But it’s not farfetched to stake this claim: They may have not one, but THREE contenders for the Calder Memorial Trophy in 2022-23. The other two are Jack Quinn and J.J. Peterka.
Some may be asking about Peyton Krebs, but he does not fit the criteria outlined by NHL.com. Krebs played in 57 games last season, over double the NHL’s limit of 25. The same goes for Mattias Samulesson and Casey Fitzgerald. However, both Quinn and Peterka fit the criteria and you can bet that they will be in the running for the Calder.
The dynamic duo were both part of the AHL’s All-Rookie Team in 2021-22, with Quinn taking Rookie of the Year honors. However, it was Peterka who got hot in the playoffs last season. And while Power clearly had the best outing at the NHL level, Quinn looked fantastic in his two-game cameo.
Hot. Kyle Okposo expected to be named the next captain. light
If Peterka builds off of his remarkable playoff run while Quinn puts his woeful run behind him, they may find themselves winning the honor. Plus, the trio also has an entire rookie class to deal with that will probably include draftees Logan Cooley and Shane Wright, among others. In short: Power has his work cut out for him.
(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)