Confirmed with Link: Montreal Canadiens Acquire Gustav Olofsson from Minnesota for Will Bitten

[Runner77]

Not that I’m certain of this or have inside knowledge, but I believe there’s no evaluation from your team’s medical before a trade. It’d be up to MB to say “how’s Olof health wise?” and just take their word for it.

After the trade, then sure, evaluate him by your staff.

But yeah, his shoulder’s history should had raised a few eyebrows prior.

My understanding is that medical records are exchanged when a trade is about to be consummated. An acquiring team has the opportunity to opt out if they find that the records show a risk they weren't aware of when the players were discussed or to ask to have the deal restructured to take into account detrimental info that has come to their attention.

 

[57special]

Too bad for Olofsson. I had high hopes for him. Thought he had second pairing potential.

 

[sandviper]

My understanding is that medical records are exchanged when a trade is about to be consummated. An acquiring team has the opportunity to opt out if they find that the records show a risk they weren't aware of when the players were discussed or to ask to have the deal restructured to take into account detrimental info that has come to their attention.

Oh, ok that makes sense. I misunderstood and thought you meant Olofsson would had flown to Montreal to be checked first. Guess trades would never get done if that were the case.

I had an old man moment.

 

[Kobe Armstrong]

Maybe this was the 2nd part of the Reilly trade

Bitten + 5th for Reilly + Paying for Olofsson's surgery

 

[417]

Too bad for Olofsson. I had high hopes for him. Thought he had second pairing potential.

His career isn't done...long way back, but let's not write his career obituary quite yet.

 

[montreal]

Thank god Bitten won't amount to anything.....

Wouldn't be surprised at all if he sees NHL games within 3 or 4 years.

Exactly - its a gamble with very little if any risk.

They could easily have just picked him up for free, so no need to gamble anything but the 50K or so it would cost in the waiver fee.

Bitten is not really good, probably wouldn't have been signed anyways. Olofsson is a hit or miss, nothing to lose.

I don't follow, are you saying that Bitten wouldn't be re-signed after his 3 years are up? Cause he was already signed to a 3 year ELC.

 

[Habby4Life]

Wouldn't be surprised at all if he sees NHL games within 3 or 4 years.



They could easily have just picked him up for free, so no need to gamble anything but the 50K or so it would cost in the waiver fee.



I don't follow, are you saying that Bitten wouldn't be re-signed after his 3 years are up? Cause he was already signed to a 3 year ELC.

17 pages dissecting a nothing trade. The MB complaining never ends

 

[L4br3cqu3]

Not sure how to interpret your reply...

Are you complaining about complainers or just adding another post to a thread dissecting that 'nothing trade' ?

Just to be sure, that's a hockey forum, where -everything- gets dissected, all the time.

You joined 10 years ago, you know that.

 

[montreal]

17 pages dissecting a nothing trade. The MB complaining never ends

What do you expect, Hab fans are a passionate bunch and MB sucks at his job, so much so that he gave away a 3rd round pick for an often injured player that he could have just picked up for free. Bitten may end up being nothing that's not the point, it's poor asset management to give away Bitten and lose DLR for nothing when the team should be adding youth not losing it when they don't have to.

 

[CGG]

They could easily have just picked him up for free, so no need to gamble anything but the 50K or so it would cost in the waiver fee.

If you pick a guy off waivers though you have to keep him on the NHL roster. Otherwise he goes back on waivers, and Minnesota probably re-claims him. Guy off waivers to the minors almost never happens. Habs had to give up an asset if they really wanted this guy.

 

[montreal]

If you pick a guy off waivers though you have to keep him on the NHL roster. Otherwise he goes back on waivers, and Minnesota probably re-claims him. Guy off waivers to the minors almost never happens. Habs had to give up an asset if they really wanted this guy.

he was injured in preseason so they could have sent him to the AHL on a conditioning stint.

 

[Chili]

Would be interesting to hear the whole story here.
-injured in training camp (Shoulder)
- on Minnesota's opening roster
- then he's waived and clears
-traded to the Habs and sent to Laval
- promptly injured requiring surgery

Was it the same shoulder as in training camp?
Was he cleared to play without being healthy? (both by Minnesota and the Habs)

Seems like several cases of guys coming back from injury and reinjured right away the last couple of years.

 

[Ryan O'Byrne]

he was injured in preseason so they could have sent him to the AHL on a conditioning stint.

But if it’s a conditioning stint I thought the player still counts towards the nhl roster limit yet , and there was no spots left

 

[Tyson]

Who knows, maybe after the surgery and physical therapy he will be good to go. We’ll see. Best of luck to him

 

[montreal]

But if it’s a conditioning stint I thought the player still counts towards the nhl roster limit yet , and there was no spots left

perhaps, I'd have to think about that as the last time we did that was with Tinordi when he sat for so long ala Scherbak, but they could have sent Alzner or Mete down if that was the case.

 

[WhiskeySeven*]

Calling trades epic wins too early seems a bit presumptuous.

 

[Runner77]

 

[BaseballCoach]

perhaps, I'd have to think about that as the last time we did that was with Tinordi when he sat for so long ala Scherbak, but they could have sent Alzner or Mete down if that was the case.

Yes, a player who has been sent down on a conditioning stint counts on the 23 man roster. It culd be a way to get Scherbak some playing time but it's not a way to create an additional spot to have saved DLR from waivers for example. Only IR can do that.

As for Oloffson, I think the Habs a very strong case to have the trade annulled or compensated.

 

[Adam Michaels]

I believe it's the first time he will undergo surgery for his shoulder. Every other time, he'd simply take time to recover through therapy. So hopefully having an operation will help fix the shoulder, even if he has to miss another season.

With the Habs signing Ryan Sproul on a PTO, he may do enough to warrant a contract to help solidify the Laval defense.

 

[Runner77]

I believe it's the first time he will undergo surgery for his shoulder. Every other time, he'd simply take time to recover through therapy.

Try again. He's had FOUR major shoulder injuries before the Habs acquired him.

Can you say, damaged goods?


Michael Russo on Sept. 23, 2015:

Defenseman Gustav Olofsson’s first year as a pro was basically a wash.

The Wild’s prized prospect played one game Oct. 10 before undergoing season-ending surgery for a torn labrum in his left shoulder.

Wild's Olofsson sharp on the blue line in exhibition win over Winnipeg


From a piece on Feb. 15, 2017:

He has torn the labrum in both of his shoulders — an injury that requires surgery as well as intensive rehab — which has limited his offseason workout regimens.

Defenseman Olofsson starting to stand out for Wild


Wild pre-season preview from 2 months ago:

This piece provides a daunting recap of everything that has defined Olofsson before he became a Hab and the red flags are the size of a skyscraper.

We are officially entering the 5th, and potentially final, season for Gustav Olofsson as a defensive prospect with the Minnesota Wild. ...

His professional career got off to a terrible start in his first season at Iowa, as he injured his shoulder in the first game of the season (his third such shoulder injury of his young career), which required surgery and caused him to miss the entire year of hockey.

Entering training camp the following year, Olofsson impressed all of the coaching staff and had a real chance to make the Minnesota Wild roster as a 20 year old. He got a brief taste of regular season action in November 2015, but spent the rest of the season in Iowa again before requiring another shoulder surgery in February. His fourth major shoulder injury of his career. ...

He impressed in Iowa through the 2016-17 season, ... His season was again cut short, though, with an undisclosed upper body injury suffered in March while with Minnesota.

2017-18 was truly meant to be the season of Gustav Olofsson. ... In March, he was again struck by the injury bug as he lost time to a concussion at the worst time. ...

Olofsson has only managed 56 games over 4 full seasons spent as a Minnesota Wild prospect, mostly due to injury, ...

Staying healthy in the NHL is an important part of being successful, and until he proves otherwise he will not succeed in the pros.

It’s always disappointing when a highly touted prospect fizzles out early, but I would hazard a prediction that we are looking at that happening to Gustav Olofsson. The North American game appears to be too physical for the undersized Swede to withstand.

Minnesota Wild: 2018-19 Season Preview of Gustav Olofsson

 

[Harry Kakalovich]

Too bad about Olofsson. Still like the trade though.

 

[Pacciosoftie]

So we basically lost Bitten for nothing. You’d think the Habs brass would’ve know beforehand that Olofsson was extremely damaged goods. This risk made no sense.

 

[DAChampion]

So we basically lost Bitten for nothing. You’d think the Habs brass would’ve know beforehand that Olofsson was extremely damaged goods. This risk made no sense.

There was a risk either way. It's ok to take a risk. Bitten himself might turn out to be worth "nothing" in the end.

 

[L4br3cqu3]

Was disappointed when Bitten left, didn't think he had a lot of potential going forward, but his attitude, skating and playing style will bring him near the NHL at some point, could see a 'Gabriel Dumont' career out of him. I don't see much more than that, but it's alright.

But then, I thought Olofsson just needed a change of scenery, and that hopefully his injury woes would perhaps turn around with us. 6'3 mobile defensemen are nice to have as depth on any team, especially when he already played in the NHL.

Let's just say that this latest injury will hit hard on his NHL career chances...

At the very least, Sklenicka and Moravcik shouldn't be scratched from Laval lineup now.

(and I still see Mete back in the AHL at some point this season, but that's another subject)

 

[LePoche69]

A guy with extensive injuries to both shoulders is now out for 6 months on account of a shoulder injury. I don't know how that was not predictable.

Just confirms further just how little they valued Bitten.

By the same logic, Habs would have lost the great last 4 years of Markov.

Injuries are not what they used to be. We're talking about a shoulder, not a knee. And look at what Markov and Price are doing with "bad knees".