Who was selected with the first pick in the 2021 NHL Draft?

The 2022 NHL Draft is around the corner and the Montreal Canadiens will have the first pick this time around. It’s also a draft that is being hosted by the team with the top selection, happening at Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec. The first round of the 2022 draft will begin at 7 p.m. ET and rounds 2-7 will be on Friday starting at 11 a.m. ET.

While the Habs have the first pick in 2022, let’s take a look back at what happened in last year’s draft.

2021 NHL Draft No. 1 pick

Buffalo Sabres: Owen Power, D, Michigan

The Sabres also finished dead last in the NHL in 2021 and were awarded the top pick for the second time in four seasons. Back in 2018, the Sabres went with a defenseman at No. 1 overall in Rasmus Dahlin. In 2021, Buffalo opted for Michigan D Owen Power. Four of the top-5 picks in 2021 ended up going to the University of Michigan (Power, Matty Beniers, Kent Johnson and Luke Hughes).

Power has already accomplished plenty early in his career. He was almost a point-per-game player in 2021-22 for Michigan, which advanced to the 2022 Frozen Four, losing in the semifinals to the University of Denver. Power helped Canada win a golf medal at the 2021 World Championships and even played at the 2022 Olympics. Power had three points in eight games for the Sabres this past season, Buffalo opting not to play Power any more games and losing a year on his entry-level contract. We should see Power on the blue line for Buffalo in 2022-23.