Why you should be watching Canada's Owen Power

Owen Power will make his Olympic debut at Beijing 2022 before even taking to the ice in the National Hockey League (NHL).

Last year's number one draft pick will seek to cement his reputation as a future star when he plays for Canada in the men's ice hockey tournament.

The 19-year-old face Germany on Thursday (10 Febuary) in a rematch of the semi-final at PyeongChang 2018 which the Germans won 4-3 before their final defeat to OAR (now ROC).

After that defeat, Canada claimed bronze thanks to a 6-4 victory over Czech Republic.

Power was the youngest member of the team that lost to Germany in the group stages of the 2021 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship in Latvia**,** before Canada went on to claim the title with victory over Finland in the final.

Now he is set to make his Olympic debut as the youngest defenceman on the team, something he describes as an honour.

He told Olympics.com, "I think it's going to be something that's just really special. Any time you get the opportunity to represent your country, it's definitely special, but I think the Olympics kind of bumps up that much more.

Owen Power - a dazzling junior and college career

Power was selected first overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2021 NHL Draft in July.

The goalscoring defenceman opted to return to his sports management studies at the University of Michigan, the first top pick to stay at college since Erik Johnson in 2006, with last season heavily disrupted by the pandemic.

Power explained: "I think mostly you just get another year to develop playing at college, and I just wanted the opportunity to try and win a national championship with my team at Michigan. I think those two are probably probably the biggest [reasons]."

He already has an impressive list of honours amassed from his time with the Chicago Steel in the US Hockey League (USHL), and in his first year at the University of Michigan.

• Big Ten All-Freshman Team (2021)
• Second Team All-Big Ten (2021)
• Big Ten Freshman of the Year Finalist (2021)
• Preseason All-Big Ten Honourable Mention (2021)
• College Hockey News Rookie of the Year (2021)
• College Hockey News All-Rookie Team (2021)
• USHL Defenseman of the Year (2019)
• USHL All-Rookie Team (2019).

While he has already won a world title, his Olympic chance only came when the NHL pulled its players out due to Covid and quarantine concerns.

Two-time gold medallist Sidney Crosby had already been picked for the squad before the withdrawal, and Power admits he is the player he "looked up to the most" when he was growing up.

He said, "Obviously on ice, he's an incredible player. But it's just how much attention he gets and how he just treats everyone so well... and the way he carries himself away from the rink."

Power intends to make best use of his surprise opportunity, and he can draw on his experience at last year's World Championship.

"They'll definitely have some similarities, but definitely have their differences, too," he said.

"I think just with a different group of guys, it's going to be different and kind of a new challenge... that kind of bond together and make a team and just come together and play with each other.

"So I think that's kind of the biggest challenge for us, but I think if we do that well, we'll be fine."

One of Crosby's teammates from Vancouver 2010, Eric Staal, captains the side with Power and fellow teenager, forward Mason McTavish, hoping to make their presence felt in Beijing.

A childhood full of different sports

Power was born in Mississauga, Ontario, to father Zee and mother Trish.

He has a brother, Adam, while sister Emily plays lacrosse for the University of Guelph.

His parents encouraged him to try as many as sports as possible when he was young, something he sees as having benefitted him in the long run.

"Growing up, hockey was kind of my main sport in the winter, and then I would play lacrosse in the summers and then just at school, I would play basketball and volleyball and just kind of wherever, whatever I could," he said.

"So my parents kind of always encouraged me to play as many sports like that and say, it's taught me it's not. I think playing all those sports, you learn so many different things. So, yeah, I think it's been great. And then I would say I end up choosing hockey to kind of stick with."

He's not the only sports star to emerge from the city just west of Toronto with tennis Grand Slam title winner Bianca Andreescu also hailing from there.

Andreescu did not make it to Tokyo 2020 in the end, but Power has the chance to bring gold back to Mississauga.