Dreger: Teams interested in Viktor Olofsson

[Irie]

He looks like a black hole there, or is the vid just not loading?

May be NHL.com cookie related or it is being blocked by something in the browser? It shows on my feed, but does require accepting a cookie to play the vid.

that particular clip was the second video in the game below - 12 minute mark of the third, (he had two goals in that game, and it was the breakaway one)

Ducks 3-6 Sabres (Jan 21, 2023) Video Highlights - ESPN

He was also -23 to get those 28 goals. How much benefit do 28 goals do when you also are -23? He also racked up that bad of a plus minus while not even hitting the 15 minute a night mark. Imagine giving him any more ice time.

I was strictly commenting on the skating misnomer and the idea that he won't try to play D.

Olofsson was flat out bad this year. No way to sugar coat that, but it was not due to not trying.

He just looked lost most shifts, but his feet were moving and he was putting in effort. He had zero chemistry on that third line. The weird thing is that the previous Spring he was outstanding for the Sabres. He was carrying the puck and driving play, but this year he would pass it as soon as he got it, and just tried to find a shooting lane and wait for a pass. No one knows why the huge change in his playstyle, but it was terrible.

For the record, I am not saying he has much value. He's a reclamation project currently, that might return a mid-round pick or maybe another cap-dump overpriced third liner with some jam to his game, but some of the info on him in here was just wrong, so i was addressing that.

 

[Nikishin Go Boom]

This narrative is ridiculous and keeps being repeated by posters that have never really even watched Olofsson play a game. Someone says it, someone else repeats it, and all of a sudden, false narratives are fact on HF.

Olofsson had a really bad year. He played on the third line all season and never found any chemistry with linemates, but still potted 28 goals. He is currently lost in Granatos system, but to say he can't skate and he doesn't try on D is just false. Watch the video below, watch his backcheck in the first 3 seconds of the video, and tell me he doesn't play D and can't skate.

He’s had 3 straight bad seasons on defense . Not just this one. Also he generates so little offense, he is negatively rated on offense too. But hey just a narrative

 

[Play]

Yeah Olofsson is heavily flawed but he has two things going for him/Buffalo:

- He is able to play and be pretty good at a specific role. If you play him in top six even strength minutes and he continues to be an analytical suck at it, don’t act surprised. Don’t trade for him to be that guy.

- He’s got no contract commitment past this season. This is huge and an obvious reason he may have some value where some other trade block candidates who are more “complete” players do not have value.

If the Sabres retain - then a bottom six PP specialist with no commitment is going to have some sort of positive value around the league.

This exactly!

 

[Irie]

He’s had 3 straight bad seasons on defense . Not just this one. Also he generates so little offense, he is negatively rated on offense too. But hey just a narrative

Last season was bad all around, but prior to that he was playing in the worst team in the league, everyone had terrible metric charts on those teams. Look at Taylor Hall's charts on that Sabres team. Olofsson relative metrics were actually above the team's average for forwards 2 years ago.

And what I took exception with is the false narrative that he is a bad skater and won't try on defense. You can say he's not a good defensive player and I won't argue that. It is when you start making false claims because it is what someone else posted here and you read it, but never payed enough attention to the player in actual games to confirm the claims, that is when people will take exception.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

The problem is that right now, the Canes don't really need another small, soft winger; especially one that is an average - below average skater and isn't good defensively. Yes, he can score goals but a player like that won't see the ice much under a Rod Brind'Amour coached team.

It's why guys like Svechnikov and Pacioretty were sorely missed in the playoffs. Both guys are goal scorers, but also have good size and aren't soft. Just look at the guys Carolina has gone after the last year+. Kotkaniemi, Tkachuk, Marchment, Pacioretty, Meier.

Aho, Jarvis, and Teravainen are all slight guys, and even Necas isn't a banger. Having 3-4 of them in your top 6 makes it hard to add another guy into the mix; and if he's not great defensively, a guy like Olofsson will have a hard time cracking the line-up as he's suited to a defensive/checking role. Of course, if other trades are made and someone like Teravainen is moved out, then the equation may change.

 

[Beerz]

He will have a market... its not everyday you can get a 25 to 30 goal scorer without potentially having to give up anything that truly hurts.

 

[HogtownSabresfan]

If the Sabres don't retain the full 50% (with all their cap room they won't use in 2023-24) I might lose my mind.

 

[Ace]

If the Sabres don't retain the full 50% (with all their cap room they won't use in 2023-24) I might lose my mind.

When has their cheapness every hurt them before he asks hoping you don’t remember the deadline to trade RoR being his bonus being paid or that they traded Scandella without retaining for less than he was traded for weeks later with retention by a team who isn’t owned by a guy who has missed the playoffs every single season he has owned the team from the beginning of said season?

 

[Nikishin Go Boom]

teams should be lining up for this guy. add in he was benched when the Sabres were trying to win and make the playoffs.

 

[LongWayDown37]

When has their cheapness every hurt them before he asks hoping you don’t remember the deadline to trade RoR being his bonus being paid or that they traded Scandella without retaining for less than he was traded for weeks later with retention by a team who isn’t owned by a guy who has missed the playoffs every single season he has owned the team from the beginning of said season?

Are you really criticizing not wanting to pay a $7.5M bonus to a player who doesn't want to play for you as cheap? To get what, an extra 3rd round pick? In a deal that landed our best offensive player? Retaining on Scandella 1/2 way through the season is what, at best $1M?

C'mon. Pegulas have pissed away far more money on less. You can criticize them for a lot, but criticizing them for being cheap is a joke. They have never been cheap.

 

[MOGlLNY]

View attachment 718474

teams should be lining up for this guy. add in he was benched when the Sabres were trying to win and make the playoffs.

I said in another thread that Rod would strangle Olofsson on live tv by game 8. I don’t see a fit

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

View attachment 718474

teams should be lining up for this guy. add in he was benched when the Sabres were trying to win and make the playoffs.

Some people actually watch the game instead of charts. You might want to try it instead.

A team will trade for him -- I hope you show the team who buys him all of the charts you're copying from other websites, with no input at all from yourself to see how much value they place in them.

I said in another thread that Rod would strangle Olofsson on live tv by game 8. I don’t see a fit

I think Nashville was mentioned as a potential option -- Tampa too.

 

[Nikishin Go Boom]

Some people actually watch the game instead of charts. You might want to try it instead.

A team will trade for him -- I hope you show the team who buys him all of the charts you're copying from other websites, with no input at all from yourself to see how much value they place in them.


I think Nashville was mentioned as a potential option -- Tampa too.

i couldnt watch him. He was benched when Sabres were trying to win games and make the playoffs.

 

[thrillhous]

I know his worts are well documented however had he not been healthy scratched for a handful of games last season he would have potted 30 goals (as was he netted 28), and 30 goal scorers don't grow on trees.

Someone will definitely take a flyer on him.

Bart/Bort
Warts/Worts

 

[toddkaz]

If Petr Mrazek didn't suck for majority of games he would be a Vezina caliber goalie, and Vezina caliber goalies don't grown on trees.

He is atrocious player on defensive end and brings no value when not scoring. And even then his defensive warts and general worthlessness make him awful pickup

Any GM who gives value deserves to be called out for stupidity

I hope Davidson doesn't waste a quality asset on him. We already have AA filling the shitty offense only guy who occasionally gets hot but is useless most nights.

Colin Blackwell straight up is as far as Hawks should go if they have interest

Goal scorers bring no value when not scoring? And water is wet.

Team like Arizona, Anaheim or Chicago could use him if they need to get to the cap bottom. Something like 2nd, Bryson and Olofsson for Murphy

 

[Soundgarden]

I think Nashville was mentioned as a potential option -- Tampa too.

Isn't he a winger?

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

1yr at $4.75M... I wouldn't take a 40-pt winger on that deal "for free" on Nashville. I guess since we do have the Cap space and roster room, you could try to entice me to take him at slightly negative value. But I don't think you want to do that, amirite?

 

[tsujimoto74]

1yr at $4.75M... I wouldn't take a 40-pt winger on that deal "for free" on Nashville. I guess since we do have the Cap space and roster room, you could try to entice me to take him at slightly negative value. But I don't think you want to do that, amirite?

Olofsson absolutely has positive value, and it’s kind of insane to think otherwise. No one is getting paid to take a guy who could score 25 goals in his sleep.

And this obviously isn’t a salary dump situation. The Sabres barely made the cap floor last season. The point is to clear a roster spot for one of the prospects.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

Olofsson absolutely has positive value, and it’s kind of insane to think otherwise. No one is getting paid to take a guy who could score 25 goals in his sleep.

And this obviously isn’t a salary dump situation. The Sabres barely made the cap floor last season. The point is to clear a roster spot for one of the prospects.

I don't think you should take my evaluation of the Nashville perspective as any indictment of Olofsson's overall value. It is very specific. He's slightly negative value to Nashville. That has no bearing on his league-wide value, I hope you understand.

 

[JTToilinginToronto]

Assuming it works with the m-NTC, JG Pageau for Viktor Olofsson?

Sabres get a 3C who can do all the little things that can help a non-playoff team get into the playoffs.

Isles get some help for a putrid powerplay, and can move Barzal back to a center spot.

Cap hits are pretty similar between the two.

 

[MOGlLNY]

Assuming it works with the m-NTC, JG Pageau for Viktor Olofsson?

Sabres get a 3C who can do all the little things that can help a non-playoff team into the playoffs.

Isles get some help for a putrid powerplay, and can move Barzal back to a center spot.

Cap hits are pretty similar between the two.

I wouldn’t hate this at all, especially if Girgensons and Jost are gone.

 

[Djp]

Defensive liability PP specialists are far from sought out by NHL contenders.

Generally, that type of player ends up costing team dearly when on ice in big moments and are generally press box fodder when stakes are raised.

False…..look at teams who advance in the playoffs and their special teams play along with a hot goalie.

even if you look at it as a playoff team dresses say 7 D, 3 lines, 2 extra forwards. A PP, off zone scorer and a PK, strong face off center.

 

[Burkeocet]

Olofsson absolutely has positive value, and it’s kind of insane to think otherwise. No one is getting paid to take a guy who could score 25 goals in his sleep.

And this obviously isn’t a salary dump situation. The Sabres barely made the cap floor last season. The point is to clear a roster spot for one of the prospects.

This. Mike Hoffman was in demand his whole career and he’s basically the same type player - small, soft, slow, a liability on D but when put in positions to succeed, can pot 25-30 in a sheltered role.

The Sabres have the space to retain too and probably would for the right offer. If I’ve got a team of mostly good 2 way guys but minimal scoring like the Hurricanes, I take a flyer on this guy. Not everybody needs to add selke calibre d to succeed in this league.

 

[PatLaFontaineASMR]

This. Mike Hoffman was in demand his whole career and he’s basically the same type player - small, soft, slow, a liability on D but when put in positions to succeed, can pot 25-30 in a sheltered role.

The Sabres have the space to retain too and probably would for the right offer. If I’ve got a team of mostly good 2 way guys but minimal scoring like the Hurricanes, I take a flyer on this guy. Not everybody needs to add selke calibre d to succeed in this league.

Was Mike Hoffman in demand? He got traded for a 2nd round pick after a 56 point season. He then only got a 1 year deal after a try out even though he had 59 points in 69 games. If he had any interest now Habs would've moved him.

 

[Davenport]

Used correctly - especially on the powerplay - he'll score 20+ goals for any team. Imagine the numbers he'd put up with Tavares, Matthews and/or Marner setting him up.