Buffalo Sabres: What will Olivier Nadeau bring to the organization?
By Sion Fawkes
On Sunday, the Buffalo Sabres announced that they signed forward and 2021 fourth-round pick Olivier Nadeau to an entry-level contract.
Olivier Nadeau became the fourth Buffalo Sabres prospect from the 2021 NHL Draft to sign with the organization, following Owen Power, Alexandr Kisakov, and Josh Bloom. Power already made his big league debut and will start the season at the NHL level while the jury is still out for what the Sabres will do with Kisakov and Bloom come October.
Nadeau spent the last three seasons playing for the Shawinigan Cataractes of the QMJHL, scoring 146 points (63 goals). The 19-year-old’s most productive season came in 2021-22, when he tallied 78 points (35 goals) in 65 games. In the playoffs, Nadeau’s productivity continued with six points in six games.
What will the Buffalo Sabres do with Olivier Nadeau?
Ethan Hetu of Pro Hockey Rumors said it first, claiming Nadeau’s signing further solidifies the “Sabres prospect pool being among the league’s best.” And at 6’2, 204lb, he already possesses outstanding size to play at the professional level.
His productivity has also increased from a meager 28 points in 58 games during the 2019-20 season to 45 points in 34 games the following year. Of course, he upped his productivity once more in 2021-22.
Speed and skating ability are two areas of his game that Nadeau needs to hone. For this reason, don’t expect him in the NHL ranks any time soon. However, his productivity speaks wonders, and you may see him gracing the ice in Rochester when he turns 20, especially with the potential roster turnover that may occur for the Sabres AHL affiliate.
While young, the Sabres also figure to be set coming out of training camp next season on the main roster, with at least J.J. Peterka and Jack Quinn slated to move up, barring any type of setback. It will also be interesting to see if Bloom and Kisakov eventually team with Nadeau. If so, watch out for Rochester, as this trio may be fun to watch.
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If nothing else, keep watch on these intriguing prospects. Especially with high-authority outlets like Pro Hockey Rumors giving the Sabres organization praise for building a solid feeder system. We can at least say this much: Good times are coming to the organization.
(Statistics provided by Hockey DB)