Sabres' No. 1 draft pick, Owen Power, expected to make NHL debut on Tuesday

Ahead of the 2021-22 campaign, Power opted to return to Michigan for his sophomore season despite being the top pick in the draft last year. 

At the time, Power was eager to get another shot at a national title with the Wolverines. 

"Going back another year, I can get a lot of development, being able to dominate games at the college level," Power said via sabres.com. "And then how good the team's going to be next year, we're going to have a really good chance at winning a national title." 

The 6-foot-6 defenseman played in 33 games for the Wolverines this season, posting three goals and 27 assists, finishing a plus-27. 

Power's hopes for a national title at Michigan ended on Thursday, as the University of Denver eliminated the Wolverines in overtime of the NCAA Frozen Four. 

"When you add it all up, it was a great development year for him," said Buffalo Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams. "Regardless of how talented he is, he's still a young player and we want to keep helping him get better and better and set him up for success. Really am proud of how he handled himself during this season on and off the ice and just excited to get him in a Sabres uniform." 

While the Sabres will be on the road in Tampa Bay on Sunday to take on the Lightning, Power is slated to make his debut with the Sabres on Tuesday in Toronto, just 15 miles away from where he grew up, in Mississauga, Ontario. 

"That's kind of the tentative plan," Adams said. "I think it'd be good for him to get on the ice a couple days, be around the guys, he'll watch the game in Tampa and then be ready to go, so we're excited."