Prospect Info: Jacob Olofsson

[HockeyDBspecialist]

Yeah I agree, I remember some of us were talking about this. Timmins actually mentionned that Rockstrom was ready to strangle him after passing on Oloffsson twice in the 2nd round.

Also found these:
"Timmins a mentionné que le recruteur du CH en Suède, Christer Rockstrom, ne pouvait pas croire qu’il soit encore disponible vers la fin du troisième tour."
Translation: "Timmins mentionned that the swedish scout, Christer Rockstrom, couldn't beleive that he (Vejdemo) was still available in the end of the 3rd round.

"C'est ce même Rockström qui a fait pression sur Timmins, à la fin du tout dernier repêchage, pour que le Canadien fasse une transaction et se dote d'un choix de septième ronde pour repêcher le défenseur Arvid Henrikson."
Translation: "It's the same Rockstrom who put some pressure on Timmins, at the very end of the draft, for the Habs to make a trade in order to get a 7th round pick and select the defenseman Arvid Henrikson".

Seems that he likes to put pressure on Timmins to draft players with low ceilings..

Why do they trust this Swede scout so much ? he never gave us legit players "steal" ?

 

[Hfbsux]

Why do they trust this Swede scout so much ? he never gave us legit players "steal" ?

He got credited for bringing Lidstrom to Detroit when Europeen players were underscouted, but I don't think he evolved since, as per his results with us.

 

[AlexGretzchenvid]

But they're easily available as UFA's, on the waiver wire, or for 5th round picks.

But a good fourth liner who can be trained to play the system by the team that drafted him is hard to find.. Sure theres 4th liners you can ALSO pick up but generally last a good 2 years if they are lucky with that team.

 

[HockeyDBspecialist]

He got credited for bringing Lidstrom to Detroit when Europeen players were underscouted, but I don't think he evolved since, as per his results with us.

it's pretty damn sad that the dude who "found Lidstrom" gave us:

Vejdemo
Olofsson
De la Rose

Wish this Organisation would have better scouts in Europe, and not only in NA...

 

[Mrb1p]

Let's not rewrite history here. Olofssons production and play in the Allsvenskan as a draft eligible is some of the best for that league.

He has tools. He just has not been able to consistently use them in games. That's the knock and it's valid.

This is true and it is what lead me to have him in my top 50, along with his wonderful physical skills. Heck, hes also pretty smart too. Maybe its all just a bad year and hell explode, who knows.

 

[WeThreeKings]

This is true and it is what lead me to have him in my top 50, along with his wonderful physical skills. Heck, hes also pretty smart too. Maybe its all just a bad year and hell explode, who knows.

My number one thing right now is he just looks like his confidence is shaken. He doesn't look the same guy he was in Allsvenskan

 

[Mrb1p]

My number one thing right now is he just looks like his confidence is shaken. He doesn't look the same guy he was in Allsvenskan

Agree. Kid was flashing skills all year in his D year and now he looks like hes Brandon Prust out there. He doesnt use his strength, which is his puck handling and his skating.

 

[muzion]

Had 3-4 chances yesterday, yet it still was an underwhelming game. Completely fanned on a semi-breakaway towards the end. At least he should be better than DLR...

 

[Schwang]

it's pretty damn sad that the dude who "found Lidstrom" gave us:

Vejdemo
Olofsson
De la Rose

Wish this Organisation would have better scouts in Europe, and not only in NA...

To be fair, the Habs have been notoriously negligent when it came to Sweden and Finland until recently. In almost 40 years, they’ve drafted, literally 3 guys from those 2 countries that had any impact. Naslund, Dahlin and Koivu. No one else that I can think of until KK.
They just simply hadn’t drafted much from those 2 countries. Not nearly as much as some other teams. I don’t know how long this scout has been with them, but he hasn’t had to do much.

 

[26Mats]

But a good fourth liner who can be trained to play the system by the team that drafted him is hard to find.. Sure theres 4th liners you can ALSO pick up but generally last a good 2 years if they are lucky with that team.

who are the good ones you are thinking of?

 

[Mrb1p]

To be fair, the Habs have been notoriously negligent when it came to Sweden and Finland until recently. In almost 40 years, they’ve drafted, literally 3 guys from those 2 countries that had any impact. Naslund, Dahlin and Koivu. No one else that I can think of until KK.
They just simply hadn’t drafted much from those 2 countries. Not nearly as much as some other teams. I don’t know how long this scout has been with them, but he hasn’t had to do much.

Lekhonen is pretty significant to be fair.

 

[DangerDave]

This is something I can't understand. It's not like he's a dumb player either, he has good spacial awarness and he did make plays in his first year. He's a great skater, he has soft hands, a big body, his shot is not bad, etc.

Honestly I don't see what isn't working now.

Sounds like Eller

 

[Mrb1p]

Sounds like Eller

Yes. Yeah.

The thing is, Eller is a big boy with quick hands and all and good edges, but I seen Olofsson be a special kid at times. f***ing fast, outstanding edges, quickest hands, a shot that Eller never really had IMO. I don't know. Never produced.

Who knows really. At this point, Eller-type looks far-fetched.

 

[Andrei79]

Why do they trust this Swede scout so much ? he never gave us legit players "steal" ?

Rockstrom oversaw european scouting for both the Red Wings and the Rangers. He was responsible for pretty much all of their Russian and Swedish stars. He pushed for even more than those two teams drafted. He's basically a scouting legend. However, he did it as a younger man, with very little competition for those regions. Now, he's either way past his prime (likely) or he's not actually listened to.

 

[Andrei79]

very good find, but the problem is Timmins owns some of this as he should have fired the guy by now imo, since our track record in Sweden has been so poor.

Heino-Lindberg
Torp
Westin
Nystrom
Nygren
Colberg
DLR
Vejdemo
Henriksson
Olofsson
Norlinder

Engqvivst - undrafted fa
Johansson - undrafted fa

that's a ****ing brutal list over 17 drafts. Granted most were late round picks but to fail on all of them outside of the most recent ones. Collberg at least was traded for Vanek and Nygren wasn't a bad pick as I believe he would have played in the NHL if not for the concussion.

That said it makes you wonder what goes in talks with Timmins and MB when they discuss their previous drafts, assuming they do. How do they explain as the best thing they have to come out of one of the top hockey countries in the world in DLR, a guy I like more then most but a guy that never had more then 4th line upside or 3rd if you really liked him.

Now maybe Vejdemo can find a way to an NHL 4th line some day, I'm not a fan but he does have some interesting tools. I would be surprised if he ended up better then DLR, although his career could be cut short due to the heart condition. That leaves Olofsson who right now is coming off a worse D+1 season then DLR so it's not looking great there. Norlinder remains their big hope.



DLR wasn't too far behind him, he had a .32 ppg to Olofsson's .49 but you also have to look at the teams, usage, TOI, etc.. I didn't see either at 17 but watched both in the SHL at 18, it's hard to explain how badly Olofsson fell apart as DLR looked a good bit better. The hope is now that he's back in the SHL on a much better team, that he can find a way to make things click.

Its brutal indeed. But I really think Nygren could have turned into something if not for character issues. He's had serious production everwhere he went.

 

[DangerDave]

Yes. Yeah.

The thing is, Eller is a big boy with quick hands and all and good edges, but I seen Olofsson be a special kid at times. ****ing fast, outstanding edges, quickest hands, a shot that Eller never really had IMO. I don't know. Never produced.

Who knows really. At this point, Eller-type looks far-fetched.

The classic case of having all the tools and no tool box. Hopefully he can put it together.

 

[Mrb1p]

The classic case of having all the tools and no tool box. Hopefully he can put it together.

But thats just it, it's not the tool box. Eller had a legit case of blinders, he tunnel visioned like no other and when things went around too fast offensively, he couldn't keep up.

Olofsson wasn't like that in his D year, like not at all.

 

[Habs76]

Enqvist, DLR, Vejdemo, Olofsson. Can we stop with the big Swedish centers that have no offense.

In all fairness, DLR was probably above average for where he was picked and I like him for what he was, but I certainly don't want to be spending high picks on DLR-type players. It's pointless.

 

[montreal]

Had 3-4 chances yesterday, yet it still was an underwhelming game. Completely fanned on a semi-breakaway towards the end. At least he should be better than DLR...

we'll see how this year goes, he was certainly not as good as DLR was when you compare their SHL play.

Sounds like Eller

If he ends up anything close to Eller that would be very solid. To be fair he's actually ahead of where Eller was at the same age as Eller barely played in the SHL at 18, but at 19 he ended up having a very solid year and then went and had a very good rookie season in the AHL. So we'll see if he can progress this year on a new team.

Its brutal indeed. But I really think Nygren could have turned into something if not for character issues. He's had serious production everwhere he went.

I said many times in the Timmins and Hamilton threads that I thought Nygren would have played in the NHL and not looked out of place as he was impressive in the AHL but in a small sample size.

 

[Schwang]

Lekhonen is pretty significant to be fair.

Oops. Thanks. Still, 4 in 40 years?

 

[Mrb1p]

Oops. Thanks. Still, 4 in 40 years?

Im not sure but I think were forgetting someone in all of this? Id have to look.

Four cant be right when the team has had a good bunch of Finn.

 

[montreal]

Since Koivu they have had 2 NHLers in Leks and Kotka.

draft picks from Finland since Koivu -

Marco Kiprusoff
Arti Kuki
Vertala
Mikkola
Hyytia
Puurula
Jarventie
Korpikari
Simila
Nattinen
Leks
Ikonen
Kotka
Ylonen

 

[Mrb1p]

Since Koivu they have had 2 NHLers in Leks and Kotka.

draft picks from Finland since Koivu -
Marco Kiprusoff
Arti Kuki
Vertala
Mikkola
Hyytia
Puurula
Jarventie
Korpikari
Simila
Nattinen
Leks
Ikonen
Kotka
Ylonen

Damn. I wouldve thought it was much better than that. Hopefully Ikonen and Ylonen have something for the Habs.

 

[Adam Michaels]

 

[Mrb1p]

Oof. Thats hard to agree with, after another flopped tournament.