How Sabres’ Owen Power Can Avoid a Sophomore Slump

Ekblad posted 39 points on 12 goals and 27 assists en route to the Calder. The Panthers also improved as a team from 66 points the year before to 91 points in Ekblad’s rookie year. Obviously, this is not solely due to his play, but the Panthers needed a steady defender and he filled the role perfectly.

In his second NHL season, as a 19-year old defenseman, Ekblad put up very similar numbers to his rookie year in nearly the same exact amount of ice time. He was also an All-Star in these two seasons. Overall, Ekblad has had the most successful first and second year when it comes to first-overall pick defensemen and is far from a sophomore slump. His third season, however, was a much different story.

Rasmus Dahlin, Buffalo Sabres (2018 Draft, 2018-19 Rookie Year)

A fellow Sabre, Rasmus Dahlin was taken first overall in 2018 and immediately had an impact for a weak Buffalo squad. The Swedish defenseman played in all 82 games his rookie year averaging over 21 minutes of ice time a night and playing average defense while also adding nine goals and 35 assists for 44 points.

This statline pushed Dahlin into the Calder Trophy conversation and he was rewarded with being named a Calder Finalist in an eventual third-place finish behind winner Elias Pettersson of the Canucks and runner-up Jordan Binnington of the Blues.

Dahlin saw decreased ice time in Year 2, but his production was on pace to improve before the COVID-19 pandemic halted the entire season with the Sabres not good enough to qualify for the bubble playoffs. Despite this Dahlin totaled 40 points on four goals and 36 assists in 59 games.

He would have had more points if not for missing time at the end of November into mid-December and the aforementioned pandemic ending the chance of a full season. Since Dahlin was on pace for more points and better defensive stats, he absolutely did not slump in his second season. Much like Ekblad, the third season was a little rough at times.

Owen Power, Buffalo Sabres (2021 Draft, 2022-23 Rookie Year)

Drafted first overall after his freshman season at the University of Michigan, Power decided to return to school for one more season with a stacked Wolverine squad. Power was nearly a point-per-game player as a defenseman on a team that reached the Frozen Four. After the team fell in the national semifinals, Power signed with the Sabres and skated in eight games at the end of the 2021-22 season and showed a lot of promise in that short time.

A season later, Power still had rookie eligibility and was set to play his first full NHL season and played nearly 24 minutes a night over 79 games. Power led NHL rookies in time on ice and added 35 points while playing solid defense for a rookie that will improve with time. Power’s season earned him a Calder Finalist nod and a third-place finish.

Wrapping this up, no defenseman taken first overall since 2000 has had a “sophomore slump” and since Power was more highly touted than all these prospects except Ekblad, there is no reason to believe that a slight dip in play will happen next year. If anything the third year has been more of a struggle as of late for young NHL defenseman. Since Power is only heading into Year 2, expect his defensive play to improve slightly and him to add a little bit more to his offensive game on a playoff-hopeful Sabres team.