Power, Levi Named To Team Canada For Beijing Olympics

Although the NHL chose not to send players to the Olympic Games in Beijing because of a large number of postponed games due to the COVID Omicron variant, some of their young prospects will get a chance at a gold medal in China next month. Team Canada announced their roster on Tuesday and it included two of the Buffalo Sabres top prospects in defenseman Owen Power and goaltender Devon Levi.

Power was the top overall selection in the 2021 NHL Draft and has international experience playing for Canada, earning a gold medal at the World Championships in Latvia and playing in the abbreviated World Junior Championships in Edmonton last month. The 19-year-old blueliner has 26 points (3 goals, 23 assists) in 24 games for the Michigan Wolverines (NCAA) and is expected to sign with the Sabres after his sophomore season is completed.

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Levi was acquired from the Florida Panthers in the Sam Reinhart deal last summer after performing well for Canada in the 2021 World Junior and is garnering attention as a potential Hobey Baker Award nominee in his sophomore season at Northeastern University, with a 1.55 GAA, .948 save percentage and 16-7-1 record in 24 games.

The 20-year-old could be the primary starter for Canada with veteran journeyman Eddie Pasquale and former AHLer Matt Tomkins as the other netminders.

Former Sabres Eric Staal (Canada), Mikhail Grigorenko (Russia), Michael Frolik (Czechia), Vladimir Sobotka (Czechia) are also participating in the tournament, which is scheduled to begin on February 9.