One Sabres prospect exemplifies the ‘never give up’ mentality

When you hold the distinction of being the only player in the organization to have signed a contract with an NHL team only to find yourself playing in the ECHL, you know there’s a problem. Sabres prospect Olivier Nadeau held the dishonor of this happening to him last year, and there’s no way he could have been happy about it. 

But that might be changing, as Bill Hoppe of Buffalo Hockey Beat outlined Nadeau’s latest performances in the first two Prospects Challenge games. Hoppe writes, “Nadeau, 21, has showcased an aggressive, heavy game, scoring a power-play in Friday’s opener and generating offense both nights. With the Sabres trailing by one goal late in Saturday’s 5-2 loss to the New Jersey Devils, his dogged backchecking created a turnover in the offensive zone.”

While you won’t see Nadeau earn a spot on the big club at any time this season, it doesn’t mean he can’t transform into becoming one of the better players in the system to provide solid organizational depth. Nadeau has versatility, size, and the physical play desirable of someone his size to wreak havoc in the AHL and, in time, perhaps play a part-time role on the fourth line in the NHL. 

Sabres prospect Olivier Nadeau is off to a hot start to rookie camp

Following a memorable career in the QMJHL, Nadeau looked like he was ready to roll in Rochester last season. But he played in just five games and finished his time with the Amerks with just one point before they dropped him to the ECHL’s Jacksonville Icemen. 

While enjoying the warm weather that Florida offers, it probably wasn’t the situation Nadeau wanted to find himself in, but hey, at this point, he had to make the best of it. He didn’t exactly accomplish that, though, finishing the year with just 24 points and 12 goals in 41 games, while he scored a pair of goals and notched an assist in seven playoff contests. 

No, that’s not the endgame any prospect wants when they’re looking to at least claw their way back to the AHL. But right now, it looks like Nadeau is honing his craft with some reckless abandon, and it's something he needs to continue if he wants to be a full-time player in Rochester this year. 

Right now, he’s accomplishing that, and it goes to show all of us why, even in the bleakest situations, giving up shouldn’t be an option. We’ll see what Nadeau does for the final game of the Prospects Challenge should he suit up and throughout training camp.