Owen Power looks like one of the Sabres’ clearest candidates to take a real step forward in 2026-27.
Buffalo is coming off its best season in a generation in 2025-26 and is expecting to contend rather than slide backward next year. With a young core that ranks among the league’s most intriguing, there’s plenty to like about the roster. But Power is the name fans will be watching most closely, especially with the sense that he may finally be ready to put the whole package together and move toward the NHL’s upper tier of defensemen.
The offensive numbers from last season were a mixed bag. Power scored one more goal, but his point total dropped from 40 to 29 compared with the season before.
On the surface, that looks like a step back. Dig a little deeper, though, and the picture changes.
For years, Power drew criticism for his defensive play. That changed in 2025-26.
He posted his lowest on-ice goals against per 60 at 2.9, which was more than a half-goal per game better than the year before. In the second half of the season, he also reached a career high in expected goals share.
The growth showed up in the way he played. Power used his size and skating more effectively, taking better angles, closing space and making life harder on opposing forwards without needing to rely on physical punishment. He still has work to do around the net, but the defensive improvement was real.
The next step is finding the right balance. Power said last season that he was often bailing out of the offensive zone too early just to make sure he was back in position defensively. That kind of caution comes with a cost, and it helps explain why his offensive totals dipped.
The playoffs offered a glimpse of what he can still be when everything is clicking. In 13 games, against the toughest minutes of the season, he had six assists and finished plus-5.
That’s the version Buffalo wants more often. The Sabres drafted Power first overall in 2021, and there were moments last season that looked a lot like the player they envisioned. He appears to have sorted out the defensive side enough to start pushing for more impact offensively, rather than trying to protect himself from mistakes.
Usage could be the next major factor. Bowen Byram is now with the Chicago Blackhawks, and Louis Crevier will need time to earn Lindy Ruff’s trust.
Ruff leaned heavily on his top four defensemen last season, and Power is clearly already in that group. His confidence grew as the year went on, and that should translate into more chances at both ends of the ice in 2026-27.
There’s also a path to more work on the second power-play unit. With Byram gone and Buffalo’s power play described as anemic, Power could get more reps there, which would only help his offensive game develop further. More ice time and more touches would go a long way toward pushing his numbers past what he’s done before.
The Sabres are counting on a lot of young pieces this season, but a jump from Power would matter in a big way. It would help offset Alex Tuch’s departure and give Buffalo another gear.
The offensive talent is there every night. Now that his defensive game has come along, the next challenge is trusting those instincts and turning him into a top-pairing defenseman - and one of the NHL’s better bargain contracts.
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For the Sabres, the bigger issue is the one that has followed Power since he arrived in Buffalo: what exactly should his ceiling look like, and when does he start matching it more consistently? He has helped anchor a defense that has held up better in some areas, yet the sense remains that there is still more to unlock from a player the organization expected to become a cornerstone. [Read more 🡒]