Its not to protect Bjork, its to acquire assets for a player who is marginal at best at ES in the NHL
Sabres Expansion Draft Protection Discussion (Skinner waives NMC for Draft)
- Thread starter Genny Screamer
- Start date
- Status
If he's a marginal ES, I'm not sure what that says about everyone else on team? Olofsson has scored on PP every where he has gone, not just Buffalo with Eichel. He just scored three at IIHF. He scored 6 even strength goals this year. He scored 9 in his rookie year. You want to trade one of the best scorers on one of the worst scoring teams in the NHL. For what? More scraps? What asset do you think you are getting? More quantity over quality.
If we protect Bjork instead of Asplund because of a bad trade, it will be just another terrible move
jc17
Registered User
- Jun 14, 2013
- 11,031
- 7,760
Why would it be for scraps? If he's such a good PP specialist, he should have some value, right?
Maybe we can get RD, or goalie help, or ES scoring help. Olofsson scored 1 goal on the PP while Granato was head coach. Without eichel, he was useless.
Players that had as many or more even strength goals than VO: Sam, Asplund, Tage, Mitts, Skinner, Lazar, R2, Reider.
Last year he was 8th on the team in Even strength goals/ice time, despite playing mostly with Jack. So I'm not sure why you cited his even strength goals each year, when they really are not something that works in his favor.
He obviously has a solid skillset, and playing a year and a half for Krueger helps nobody, but his contributions to this point have only been PP opposite Eichel. Maybe he can grow into a well-rounded player, he's got some high level skills. But to this point he has really been a minimal help to this team on his own, and it's pretty questionable that he will be in the future if Eichel is gone
Yeah. I wouldn't be actively shopping VO - but he's hardly untouchable.
If I'm GM I'm at least doing due diligence by exploring his value around the rest of the league.
If I'm GM I'm at least doing due diligence by exploring his value around the rest of the league.
Due diligence is one thing. Of course. But trade the guy with the best shot on the team? His two-way game has been up and down but the guy has all of 116 NHL games. He actually looked much better in 2019-20 for a large stretch. The idea he can only produce with Eichel is fiction. He turned the corner in Sweden league, continued in Rochester, scored in Buffalo. The PP looked slightly broken after Eichel went down and never truly adjusted to his loss. Late in year Casey seemed to take charge a bit and Dahlin too.
brian_griffin
"Eric Cartman?"
I'd hate to lose VO over certain other Sabres, but if it makes the Sabres better, I'd do it.
VO on a better team - whether that's a Sabres team or not - slotted on the 3rd line getting easier matchups, using his under-rated forecheck against those easier matchups, and getting #1 PP time on a legit NHL-caliber PP is easily a 25-30 goal scorer, and a luxury teams already built for a deep playoff run would like to have.
To the point of the thread, I think he'll be protected and not moved.
VO on a better team - whether that's a Sabres team or not - slotted on the 3rd line getting easier matchups, using his under-rated forecheck against those easier matchups, and getting #1 PP time on a legit NHL-caliber PP is easily a 25-30 goal scorer, and a luxury teams already built for a deep playoff run would like to have.
To the point of the thread, I think he'll be protected and not moved.
I like Olofsson don’t get me wrong. I just think its a sell high trade on a player who has warts that the Sabres could help themselves taking advantage of a team that sees his flashy goals and shot while ignoring his short comings
The Blunder Years
Registered User
I’ve loved VO since I saw him in the 14’ and 15’ prospect camps and It would be sad to see him go as he is really the one true developmental prospect gone right for the Sabres this decade.
However, if we were to deal him It would be great to get some different skill sets in return. What are some options? Nolan Patrick, Chris Tierney, or maybe a forward from Columbus?
However, if we were to deal him It would be great to get some different skill sets in return. What are some options? Nolan Patrick, Chris Tierney, or maybe a forward from Columbus?
The guy has all of 118 NHL games. You cannot teach talent and that shot is something to behold. I wouldn't trade Olofsson for anything less than Grade A prospect or a first rounder in top 20. And even then? Let's suck forever. It's way easier to get a coach to fix his game than trade for someone with less talent. Sure if he's part of some big time deal with Lafreniere or Byfield (not straight up obviously), my ears are open. But what this team doesn't need is LESS talent. That's for sure.
Agreed. I'd also like to add that VO is a really underrated playmaker. He may not have been scoring as much as we'd like at ES but he was still creating chances with his passing.
Fezzy126
Rebuilding...
- May 10, 2017
- 8,741
- 11,520
Have you watched the playoffs? There's no power plays unless someone flips the puck over the glass, and I can probably count on one hand the number of times I've said "what a snipe" after a goal was scored. There's just not enough time and space for someone like VO to be a difference maker.
I'm not just going to give him away, but if there's another team that values VO's shot and we can change the dynamic of our top 9, I'm pulling the trigger immediately.
Yeah, he's the problem after 1.25 seasons. Nice take. He's made some great 5-on-5 plays too. He was almost an even player plus/minus on a crap 2019-20 team. Set back on a disaster team in 2020-21. If you can get more talent for him, sure. But you don't trade him for some 3rd line grinder. Oloffson is so clearly a late bloomer. He's still learning parts of the game. We have him at $3 M for two years. And the last time I checked we hadn't made the playoffs in a decade. Maybe, we make them, then we'll worry about lack of PP time for #68.
Fezzy126
Rebuilding...
- May 10, 2017
- 8,741
- 11,520
A simple, "No, I haven't watched the playoffs and don't understand how the league is evolving" would have sufficed.
Besides, who said VO is the problem? He'd be an awesome complimentary piece on any of these playoffs teams, it's the reason he holds value.
I care about one thing, improving the Sabres, and I think VO is one of the most logical assets we can use to do so (full credit to @jc17 for being one of the 1st ones to come around on this idea over a year ago). If you think this player type is a critical piece to roster construction, then fine, agree to disagree.
Well Tampa Bay just destroyed Carolina on the PP so you must be watching a different playoffs than me. The winning goal was on the PP in Game 5. They scored three in Game 4 game that ended 6-4. Their only goals in a 3-2 OT loss were on the PP. But sure.
The Islanders have scored 9 of their 37 goals on the PP in the playoffs. The Bruins have scored 10 of their 31 goals on the PP. Game one of their series had three PP goals, Game 2 had three. Three and four it wasn't a factor. And then Game 5 Islanders scored 3 PP goals and the Bruins coach is losing his mind over it.
We mostly hate the Leafs here and anybody who watched the series know their PP wasn't nearly as deadly and why they lost.
Just what playoffs are you watching?
Last edited:
jc17
Registered User
- Jun 14, 2013
- 11,031
- 7,760
Either way, this doesn't resolve olofsson's lack of production without jack. The only arguments that support him here, and are probably both valid to a degree, is that maybe his shot gets him more attention and can open things up for other players or that he still has room to improve.
Doug Prishpreed
Registered User
Doug Prishpreed
Registered User
Victor will be protected...this is a silly conversation.
Old Navy Goat
Registered User
You could see how the opponent's PK basically played a triangle + 1 so they could have the wing slot on the left stay shaded towards Oloffson as they didn't respect any other shots. VO didn't help matters much by staying virtually stagnant in his preferred shooting slot, but he was definitely game planned for.
Watching Tampa, they're similar to Eichel Sabres PP in that you have 2 shooters to fear. The difference is that Stamkos and Kucherov are several degrees better than VO in handling and passing
N.Y. Orangeman
Registered User
It's a pretty small sample and indications are at every level he could play -- without Jack Eichel. He scored 30 in Rochester. He just scored three in seven games at world championships. The goal with him should really just be competent 5-on-5. He did that in year one with Krueger for large stretches. He's lethal on the PP unless he's being overplayed for that shot. That's what happened after Eichel went down and our horrible coaching did nothing to adjust until Casey Mittelstaedt took off down stretch and forced penalty killers to think of someone else. (I don't even count Reinhart. He's got better passing instincts but his PP move is deflections.)
Basically, I need a top 6 for Oloffson who can score goals and I don't know where I'm getting that.
buffalowing88
Registered User
Sometimes things don't need a whole lot of text to prove a point. I remember Steve Bernier coming to Buffalo and looking like a stud the first few games. There's a reason Bjork was given up. No need to attach ourselves to him.
buffalowing88
Registered User
If we have a different HC by the that time, he absolutely won't be protected. VO is a good player and wants to be here, but there are rising players I'd prefer over him. Love the guy, love his attitude, but he's not a guarantee at all.
jc17
Registered User
- Jun 14, 2013
- 11,031
- 7,760
I think no Krueger should help, but he didn't really improve much after Krueger left. He was still like 8th in points/60 without krueger, playing the majority of minutes with Reinhart. I don't remember long stretches of 5v5 competence. I remember flashes, but nothing sustained.
The sample size wasn't big without Krueger, but not tiny either, he got 28 games.
I don't think the AHL and WC can be used here. Neither is the caliber of the NHL, and the WC was an even smaller sample size.
If he remains one dimensional, or worse: can't score without eichel, it won't be worth it. Personally, I'm not super interested in waiting to find out if we can blame it all on Ralph, PP coaching, etc. I think there are enough question marks that I would try to sell while value is high.
No one, at the time of your post, was saying he should go unprotected. It's always been a conversation on if he is an asset we could use to upgrade.
No joke. I get it from the Sabres -- they are trying to justify a bad return and fact Lazar thrown in actually favoured Bruins and made the deal for something less than a 2nd. But don't compound the stupidity by protecting him over better players. If Sabres fans buy into it, they deserve what they get.
- Status
