Power-ful words for whoever Maple Leafs pick first overall

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Power postponed his NHL debut to spend another year in university

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Published May 08, 2026 • Last updated 3 hours ago • 2 minute read

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Buffalo Sabres defenceman Owen Power. Photo by Maddie Meyer /Getty ImagesArticle content

BUFFALO — Don’t overthink it.

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Nearly five years after Owen Power was selected first overall in the National Hockey League draft, the Buffalo Sabres defenceman has an idea of the emotions being experienced by the Maple Leafs’ prospective first pick.

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“Have fun with it and enjoy it,” Power said on Friday morning. “Don’t put too much pressure on yourself or listen to the outside too much. Whoever it is, I’m sure they’re going to be fine.”

Of course, if it’s Gavin McKenna that the Maple Leafs pick first here at the KeyBank Center on the evening of June 26, the announcement will come after the spotlight has been on McKenna for the past couple of years. Following two seasons in which he tore up the Western Hockey League with the Medicine Hat Tigers, recording 226 points in 117 games, McKenna had 51 points in 35 games for Penn State this season.

After he was drafted by the Sabres, Power returned to the University of Michigan for the 2021-22 season and also played for Canada at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.

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When his college year was done, Power made his NHL debut in Toronto against the Leafs on April 12, 2022 and played in eight games before starting his NHL career on a full-time basis in 2022-23.

Four years later, at the age of 23, the Mississauga native has become a consistently dependable player for the Sabres, averaging more than 22 minutes a game.

“I wouldn’t say (having the first-pick tag) really bothered me too much,” Power said. “I think it helped going back to school for another year, where that stuff quieted down. That was the biggest thing, really, that I was able to go back to school and not have to worry about any of that. It’s definitely easier than going first and playing right away.

“As the years have gone on, I’ve grown my game and I feel more comfortable out there. I definitely feel good about it.”

tkoshan@postmedia.com

X: @koshtorontosun

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