TORONTO — In his five-year career, the Buffalo Sabres have never leaned more heavily on defenseman Owen Power.
Through seven games this season entering Thursday’s contest against the Maple Leafs, Power had averaged a whopping 26 minutes, 26 seconds of ice time.
Only five players – defensemen Zach Werenski, Thomas Chabot, Quinn Hughes and Lane Hutson – had skated more per outing.
Power, of course, seemed destined for stardom when the Sabres drafted him first overall in 2021. Now, very quietly, he has joined the ranks of the NHL’s elite defensemen.
The soon-to-be 24-year-old had played at least 25 minutes each game entering Thursday’s contest in Scotiabank Arena.
“I like it,” he said prior to Thursday’s game of his heavy workload. “You’re going out every other shift basically, so it’s fun. Obviously, it’s tiring, but I think in the moment, it’s nice to be able to kind of know you’re going out there right again.”
The 6-foot-6, 226-pound Power has earned his extra ice. In the first two weeks this season, he has looked confident in every facet of the game.
He had averaged 21 minutes, 42 seconds of even-strength ice time, the league’s fourth-highest total, entering Thursday’s game. He began the night game having recorded six assists and seven points, both team highs.
“(He’s) playing a faster game, a more physical game, skating well,” Ruff said. “For the most part, has broke the puck out really well. So I think decisions. He’s been good at a lot of areas of the game.”
With captain Rasmus Dahlin, the Sabres’ top defenseman, sidelined by an upper-body injury, they need Power to absorb more minutes.
In Tuesday’s 4-3 shootout loss to the Montreal Canadiens, the Sabres’ first game without Dahlin, Power skated 28 minutes, 22 seconds, his second-highest total this season.
“His body can handle it, his skating doesn’t drop off in that period of time,” Ruff said of Power’s mega minutes. “I think No. 1, you’ve got to be able to physically handle the grind of that number of minutes. I think some of those minutes depends on how much you’re going to play on your own end, too.”
Last season, as he matured down the stretch and into the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Power averaged 21 minutes, 39 seconds each game.
Had he kept recovering from the left shoulder injury he suffered in the preseason, Ruff said goalie Alex Lyon would’ve made his season debut Tuesday in Montreal.
Instead, Lyon, having suffered a setback in practice, was back in Buffalo.
“Now we’ll just see with rehab and stuff where he ends up,” Ruff said.
Ruff said Lyon is progressing.
Some other injury updates from Ruff are below.
– Dahlin, who’s day to day, has a 50-50 chance of playing Saturday when the Sabres close their three-game road trip in Montreal.
“I’m not going to rule him out yet,” Ruff said.
After shooting the puck in Monday afternoon’s 5-3 win over the Florida Panthers, Dahlin reached for his lower back and left the contest. Tonight will be the second game he has missed.
– Winger Jason Zucker, who underwent sports hernia surgery in early August, is getting closer to making his season debut.
Zucker joined his teammates last week and participated in Thursday’s pregame skate.
“We’ve got a detailed plan for when he’ll get back,” Ruff said. “The more he practices, the closer he’s going to get.”
Ruff has a target date for Zucker’s return he wouldn’t divulge.
– Defenseman Conor Timmins, who suffered a lower-body injury when he crashed into the boards in the preseason finale, is getting closer to skating again.
– Defenseman Matt Grzelcyk is progressing from a lower-body injury.
The Sabres made one lineup change, scratching forward Jiri Kulich and inserting Sam Carrick.
Kulich, a scratch for Saturday’s 4-0 loss to the Utah Mammoth, participated in the pregame skate. It’s unclear if he was a healthy scratch again or injured.