Sabres‘ Owen โฃPower, Predators’ Tanner Molendyk, and Jets’ Kieron Walton All Avoid Serious Injuries
Buffalo Sabres โdefenseman โฃOwen Power “seemed to avoid the โworst-case scenario” โwith a late-seasonโ injury, according to team physician Dr.โข Kevin Fairburn. Fairburn indicated the injury should not affect expectations for Power’s performance in the 2025-26 season. The upcomingโ season is critical for the 2021 first-overall pick, entering the second year of his eight-year, $8.35MM AAV contract extension. Power, 22, set career-highs in 2024-25 โขwith seven goals and 40 points, but has faced criticism regarding his physicality despite his size (six-foot-six, 226-pounds).
Elsewhereโ in the league, Nashville Predators prospect Tanner Molendyk avoided major damage after an injury scare during a rookie tournament practice in Tampa onโข Thursday. Initial reports from The Tennessean’s Alex Daugherty suggested the absence was precautionary, and Daugherty later confirmedโ the injuryโ “isn’tโ serious.” Molendyk, a 2023 โขfirst-round pick ranked as the Predators’ fourth-best prospect byโค EliteProspects, may not return to the ice โin Tampa but “willโค be fine” forโฃ the team’s main training camp next week.
Winnipeg Jets prospect โขKieron walton will not return to the team’s rookie contest in Montreal โฃtonight dueโ to an upper-body injury, asโข reported by team reporterโข Jamie Thomas. Whileโค the severity is โฃunclear,โข any injury could hinder the 19-year-old’s chances of making an impression at theโ Jets’ full training camp. Walton, a 2024 sixth-rounder, had a breakout 2024-25 season with the OHL’s Niagara IceDogs, scoring โข38 goals and 92 points.