The Buffalo Sabres have not been models of prospect development in recent years. The club has rushed many of their top selections to the NHL when the team wasn't competitive enough or equipped to foster their growth. 

But the organization is changing cap with Owen Power, its first overall pick from 2021. This summer, they made the right decision when they encouraged him to go back to the NCAA.

That extra year of development was always going to benefit Power. Despite posting impressive numbers and flashing skills most games, the defenceman was only head and shoulders above his competition in terms of height, not play. 

This is expected for an 18-year-old Freshman, no matter the talent level, as they face much more structured and older teams for the first time. At the end of the 2020-21 season, it was clear that the NCAA could still teach the defenceman a few things about the game, offensively and defensively.