When the Buffalo Sabres traded Bowen Byram earlier this summer, logical concerns emerged about who could pick up the slack for Byram.
But if there’s one thing that emboldened GM Jarmo Kekalainen to pull the trigger, it was Byram’s partner Owen Power.
Power, a former first-overall pick, hadn’t really stood out. That changed this past season when the Sabres went on a historic run. In the postseason, fans and the organization got to see what Power really had to offer.
That’s why there really wasn’t much hesitation to move Byram when the opportunity arose. And now, there’s mounting pressure on Power to show what he can do. That’s why the pressure is on Power to take that all-important next step.
But what is that next step? What would constitute reaching the next level for the Sabres blueliner? In short, it would mean carrying over his tremendous playoff showing into a consistent showing throughout the 2026-27 season.
In other words, the Sabres would like to see Power become a true shutdown defenseman with an offensive side to boot. The expectation would be for Power to evolve much the same way that Byram did this past season.
If that’s the case, Power would become the top-pairing blueliner that the Sabres envisioned when they drafted him in 2021.
Power could give Sabres two number-one defensemen
One of the key factors in trading Byram was the 25-year-old’s desire to prove he’s a number-one defenseman. He wasn’t likely to get that chance in Buffalo with Rasmus Dahlin entrenched as the team’s franchise player.
That’s why the move to Chicago made sense for Byram.
In Power’s case, the rationale here focuses on taking that crucial next step in becoming a true number-one blueliner. If he does, the Sabres could have two number-one guys patrolling the ice.
That situation won’t mean pairing Dahlin and Power together. While Lindy Ruff could try that out, the best thing to do would be to spread them out. Since the Sabres have found an ideal partner for Dahlin in Matias Samuelsson, it only makes sense for Buffalo to let Power anchor his own pairing.
Plus, the idea of having Dahlin run one power-play unit and Power the other could make it incredibly challenging for opponents to find a way to stop the Sabres’ offense.
This entire discussion hinges on Power showing he’s ready to be “the guy” in his own right. The plan wouldn’t be to see Power somehow challenge Dahlin for the team’s top blueline spot. The plan would be for Power AND Dahlin to become a sort of two-headed beast that could define the team’s defense corps for the foreseeable future.
If that situation comes to fruition, the Sabres could become the class of the Eastern Conference in a way that the Carolina Hurricanes can only dream of. It will be a crucial season for Power, as much as that sounds like a cliché.
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