Buffalo Sabres: Signs point to Victor Olofsson sticking around

While the Buffalo Sabres could always move restricted free agent Victor Olofsson via trade, all signs point to him staying in the Queen City.

If you are a fan of Buffalo Sabres right winger Victor Olofsson, you are in luck. The Buffalo News’ Mike Harrington has routinely stated the Sabres are not expected to spend big in free agency, yet at the same time, should easily reach the cap floor.

Not that the Sabres won’t make a splash in free agency. Just don’t expect any young stars in Buffalo by the time it’s all said and done. That means you are more likely to see Braden Holtby in a Sabres uniform as opposed to Jack Campbell, and that’s okay.

In fact, as I said earlier in the week regarding why it makes no sense to sign Campbell, Harrington agreed on that notion, stating “no real sense” in pursuing either him or Darcy Kuemper. I do think the Sabres will at least look into all possibilities at goaltender, they will just end up signing someone like a Holtby as opposed to Campbell or Kuemper.

Victor Olofsson expected to remain on the Buffalo Sabres

So how does the lack of signing big-time free agents at goaltender and perhaps other areas of the ice affect Olofsson? Harrington’s statements regarding his confidence that the Sabres will both pay Olofsson and hit the cap floor with ease. Here are a couple of quotes, the first regarding Olofsson.

"“The restricted free agent winger could be looking at an arbitration award and/or a bridge deal that could take him close to $5 million a year. On a short-term basis with all this cap room, no reason not to pay him for now and then see if you’re going to keep him or include him in any NHL-level deals.” – via The Buffalo News"

And here is the second, this one regarding the Sabres hitting the cap floor:

"“They’ll get to the floor. It’s not an issue. The point continues to be this: The Sabres used to spend all the money and it got them nowhere. They’re not a cap team right now and that’s fine. They need to spend the right money. And they have to do it in goal.” – via The Buffalo News"

By “in goal,” he means Holtby, not a big-name free agent. While he DID NOT leave out the possibility of them signing Campbell, he did outline a potential deal for Holtby that involved a two-year contract for $8 million.

So expect Holtby to be the guy in the net. At least early on in the season. And expect the Sabres to use their excess money to pay core players like Olofsson. At worst, the right winger remains on the team as a bridge making $5 million in 2022-23. At most, he signs a long-term deal in Buffalo.

Article Source: Off-Season Countdown: Sabres not ready to spend? by TSN Staff