The Buffalo Sabres have taken a step back from last season and it has been tough sledding for a number of their players. This is a very young lineup, so there is going to be growing pains. We’ve seen a number of young forwards see time in games this season in particular. Many of them have impressed and some have stuck around.
For a good amount of time now, Victor Olofsson’s name has been in the rumor mill. He is a sniper, but isn’t exactly impactful in other areas. As a player that was effective on the power play, he is now off both units and all the way down to the fourth line. While Kyle Okposo has been fairly good offensively recently, this is not a place where Olofsson is going to succeed and show his value. With the return of Jack Quinn before the Christmas break, there really is no room to move Olofsson up. The only way is out.
What the Sabres Can Get for Olofsson
Olofsson needs a spot on the power play if a team wants to get the best out of him. He can really shoot the puck from the right circle. Whether that be the first or second unit, he will have more confidence in his game and produce more. Not a ton of players are dangerous from the area he is on the man advantage. That’s just the first thing. His skill set would best be utilized in the middle-six, not the fourth line. Depending on which team he ends up on, the first line is even a possibility. I do wonder why the Sabres didn’t trade him in the offseason. I guess they didn’t expect so many prospects to break through and force their way into NHL games already.
Olofsson has a cap hit of $4.75 million AAV, but he is a UFA at the end of the season. Being a rental for a team will help the Sabres shop him. The closer to the deadline, they may be able to get more for their sniper as certain teams may get desperate if they lose out on another player they want. But the more time Oloffson spends on the fourth line not producing like he’s capable of, his value is going to drop.
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I strongly believe that the Sabres are going to retain half of his contract to move him. The team has the cap space to do so and it would help facilitate a deal. This would also open up the potential destinations, therefore, potentially upping the price. The trade will likely occur closer to the deadline this season, so we will have to see exactly where the Sabres sit. If their playoff chances don’t look great, I expect a draft pick, maybe around a third rounder, in return. If the team is still in the hunt, a legitimate fourth liner that brings a defensive element.
