3 reasons why an underrated Sabres winger still holds more trade value than you think
We are heading into late February, and the season of disappointment continues for a Sabres team that remains under 0.500 during a crucial time.
The Sabres aren’t finished, but at this point, it would take nothing short of a historic run to climb back into serious playoff contention. That dreaded “step back” occurred this year after what was a rather successful season in 2022-23, but sometimes a “step back” isn’t always a bad thing as it does give young teams like the Blue and Gold to get rid of some players for at least a modest price tag.
And Buffalo has a few of them, including younger players in the final years of their respective contracts, along with aging veterans who would better utilize their services elsewhere. One of those players who the team should trade at the deadline is Victor Olofsson, a winger who was once a solid scoring threat for an otherwise underperforming Sabres team.
Olofsson hasn’t seen the ice as often this season, but that doesn’t mean he won’t bring in a solid return. Here are three reasons the Sabres can salvage more than what you may think for the 28-year-old.
Victor Olofsson can still be a sound power play specialist
Victor Olofsson has played in 35 games this season, scored zero power play goals, and just two total points on the man advantage. While Olofsson has a new role this season as a part-time player and isn’t always used on the man advantage, contenders shouldn’t let this deter them from at least inquiring about the former power play specialist.
With 34 career goals at 5-on-4 plus another 26 assists, roughly one-third of Olofsson’s career points have come on the power play. Therefore, don’t be surprised if a contending team’s front office comes calling to see if they can trade a mid-to-late-round pick for the winger’s services.
The Sabres shouldn’t have a problem sending Olofsson elsewhere for a modest price tag, as doing so could make room for a prospect like Jiri Kulich or Isak Rosen to move up the ranks. Should Buffalo choose to leave the duo in Rochester, there are plenty of other skaters in the AHL they can promote.
Olofsson is just one season removed from what was a 28-goal outing
While there were times Olofsson scored rather irrelevant goals last season, he still put up 28 and an incredible 17.4 shooting percentage. This showed us just how well Olofsson found the net, and it wasn’t like he was selective with taking chances at the net, having averaged over two shots on goal per game.
This season has been an entirely different story, but as a relatively young player still, there is no reason to think Olofsson can’t revert to what he did in 2022-23. Any contending team looking for a player with prolific scorer potential should be more than willing to take a chance on Olofsson and what remains of his contract, especially if they feel such a player is the final puzzle piece to making a deep playoff run.
While his current contract could detract a few teams from ultimately bringing in Olofsson, the Sabres also have more than enough room to retain some of the winger’s salary. Olofsson will also be an unrestricted free agent, so the Blue and Gold won’t need to commit to him long-term. Further, taking on a portion of the contract could also help Buffalo land a rather sound developmental player - someone like Philip Broberg or Kaapo Kakko.
Olofsson has been far more effective at 5-on-5 in 2023-24
While Victor Olofsson would most likely go to a team looking for a high-potential scorer from the circle, ideally on the power play, he’s also been more effective defensively in 2023-24 than we have seen in the past. Before this season, Olofsson was strictly used offensively, and his style of play showed that he wasn’t anywhere near the best player in the lineup when the Sabres didn’t have the puck.
Although we only have a 35-game sample size this season, the trend toward more of a balanced approach has worked well for Olofsson. At even strength, the Sabres have a solid 90.3 save percentage when he’s on the ice, and that number is an even better 90.9 at 5-on-5. Those are the best numbers Olofsson has posted in the last three seasons in both situations, and it further implies his game isn't an all-out offense like it used to be.
Overall, Olofsson is still known for his offense, but improved play when the Sabres don’t have puck possession also increases his value a little more. Therefore, while he has been nothing more than a part-timer this season, don’t be surprised if general manager Kevyn Adams gets a little more in return should he trade Olofsson.
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(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference as of February 21st)