The future of the Buffalo Sabres' blue line is under contract for the long haul.
Two days after signing Rasmus Dahlin to an eight-year deal, the club announced it locked up its other franchise defenseman, Owen Power, with a seven-year extension carrying an $8.35-million cap hit.
Power is in the final season of his entry-level contract, so the extension will begin in 2024-25.
The Sabres drafted Power first overall in 2021. The 6-foot-6, 218-pound blue-liner was a Calder Trophy finalist last season after recording 35 points in 79 games while averaging 23:48 per contest. His underlying numbers were particularly strong offensively.
There's room for improvement in his own end, but given his length and smooth skating ability, he profiles as a strong defender. However, he's not overly physical despite his stature, recording just 27 hits last season.
Power, who turns 21 in November, only has 87 career NHL games under his belt. He was able to sign an extension so soon because the first year of his entry-level deal was burned after playing eight games at the end of the 2021-22 season once he turned pro. The Mississauga, Ontario, native previously spent two seasons in the NCAA at Michigan.
Ottawa Senators defenseman Jake Sanderson was in a similar situation. The 2020 No. 5 pick inked an eight-year extension with an $8.05-million cap hit in September despite playing in just 77 games.
Despite the recent extensions to Dahlin and Power, the Sabres still project to have over $25 million in cap space next summer. Casey Mittelstadt, Peyton Krebs, Henri Jokiharju, Jacob Bryson, and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen are their remaining 2024 restricted free agents.
Like Dahlin and Power, fellow defenseman Mattias Samuelsson is in the first season of a seven-year, $30-million extension signed last season.
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