Power, projected No. 1 pick in 2021 Draft, yet to interview with Sabres

Owen Power, the projected No. 1 pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, said he has yet to interview with the Buffalo Sabres.

The Sabres won the NHL Draft Lottery on June 2 and could select the University of Michigan defenseman, who is No. 1 in NHL Central Scouting's final ranking of North American skaters. The Seattle Kraken, who begin play next season, pick No. 2.
"I've probably interviewed between 10-15 NHL teams at some point during the year, and then some after the (2021 IIHF World Championship), so it's been a decent amount," Power said Wednesday. "I still haven't talked to [Buffalo]."
The 18-year-old was asked when an interview with the Sabres could take place.
"I still don't know yet," he said.

The first round of the 2021 draft is July 23 (8 p.m. ET; ESPN2, SN, SN NOW); rounds 2-7 are July 24 (11 a.m. ET; NHLN, SN, SN NOW).
"What's exciting is there's, especially at the top of the draft, there's a lot of players that we feel good about, and we're continuing to kind of work through that," Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams said Thursday. "We'll have more meetings coming up, but I said this couple weeks ago I think when we won the lottery. I love the draft process, it's interesting to me. It's a lot of fun to really try to project and evaluate where these ... they're young, they're 18 year olds most of them, and where they'll be when they're 23, 24 because it's not an easy job to do. But it's exciting and it's going to be here quick. The days are moving fast right now."
Michigan center Matthew Beniers is another player who could be drafted No. 1. Beniers is No. 6 in Central Scouting's final ranking.
The Sabres on Tuesday said Don Granato would remain coach after taking over when Ralph Krueger was fired during the season.
Power scored 16 points (three goals, 13 assists) in 26 games and was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman team. He helped Canada win the World Championship with three assists and 17 shots on goal averaging 20:07 of ice time. Power played 24:17, including a Canada-high 10:31 in the third period of a 3-2 win against Finland in the championship game.
Power reiterated his stance from an interview with "NHL Now" on June 11, when he said he's strongly considering a return to Michigan next season.
"From my perspective, yes, I'm still kind of thinking the same way," he said Wednesday. "I mean, obviously, what the team that picks me thinks and what my family and my advisers think will be a part of the conversation. But I think just the opportunity to win at Michigan and kind of get a true college experience is something that will factor in.
"We've got so many good guys and such a close group, and just being able to play with Luke [Hughes] and all the other guys would be pretty special."

Hughes, a defenseman with the USA Hockey National Team Development Program Under-18 team, is No. 4 in Central Scouting's final ranking of North American skaters for the 2021 draft. He is committed to play at Michigan next season.
Beniers also said**he was considering remaining at Michigan for at least one more season.
"I'm definitely leaning towards coming back," he said Thursday. "We're going to have a really good group, a lot of good players and we're going to get a real run at a national title. I definitely want to win a Big Ten championship and kind of do that whole college thing after getting closed down last year because of COVID."
Beniers scored 24 points (10 goals, 14 assists) in 24 games as a freshman this season, and led first-time NHL Draft-eligible NCAA players in goals, goals per game (0.42) and shots on goal per game (2.38).
"Power