Victor Olofsson - Time for his own Sabres thread

[Huckleberry]

His shot is so smooth, quick and accurate.  Don't think I have ever seen a sabre shoot it like he does.

[Doohicksie]

1 hour ago, Claude_Verret said:

That shot on it's own is worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as Ovie and Stamkos..... or at least Marty thought so on the post game yesterday.

Brett Hull.  Shanahan.  Ovie.  Stamkos.  All those guys.  He will soon be part of that club I think.

[TheAud]

5 hours ago, Huckleberry said:

His shot is so smooth, quick and accurate.  Don't think I have ever seen a sabre shoot it like he does.

Rick Martin

[Huckleberry]

Just now, Sakman said:

Rick Martin

Hah thanks, never seen him play I'm too young and only discovered hockey in 2000 ?

[Sabres Fan in NS]

I was one of the most vocal advocates of trading Risto for Laine.  Now I say that the Sabres don't have to.  Victor is our Laine, only better, or will be, IMO.

Now ...

EHLERS!!

?

Well, that is a different matter ... bring him to me ...

[Brawndo]

 

[Curt]

2 hours ago, New Scotland (NS) said:

I was one of the most vocal advocates of trading Risto for Laine.  Now I say that the Sabres don't have to.  Victor is our Laine, only better, or will be, IMO.

Now ...

EHLERS!!

?

Well, that is a different matter ... bring him to me ...

Out of the 2, Laine is probably the one most likely to make great improvements.  It sounds crazy but Laine is actually 3 years younger than Olofsson.

[TheAud]

4 hours ago, Huckleberry said:

Hah thanks, never seen him play I'm too young and only discovered hockey in 2000 ?

Of course Victor can't SKATE like Martin but you do see the shot a few times in this video.

Edited October 15, 2019 by Sakman

[PerreaultForever]

18 hours ago, Taro T said:

The Sabres top unit hasn't had 2 D-men on it in several years.  That isn't what's different from last season.  The difference is  (well 4 primary differences are) they have 5 guys that's can bury the puck with a sniper on either side and also 2 guys that can quickly move the puck accurately and both have been moving the puck to the sniper on right side (and as soon as that guy gets taken away, then either Eichel starts launching 1 timers or Skinner gets the puck, or Reinhart gets it for a shorter tic-tac-toe than the current Dahlin -> Eichel -> Olofsson); and there is always at least 1 guy moving to reset shootings lanes and to force the D to move.

This PP won't stay above 40%, but staying at 25% is very doable if they stay healthy.  And they haven't even had Montour available yet to reduce Ristolainen's ice time even more.

That would be this season's version of Mittelstadt. 

I don't think you're looking close enough. Yes, we used 4 forwards last year (as most teams do) but the arrangement and the motion were different. Dahlin is playing more to the middle of the ice than Risto did and Jack is playing off the circle, not at the point. The side to side motion is very different. These things may be subtle, but they matter. Also Skinner and Sam are weaving in and out in the front not just trying to stand in front. 

[dudacek]

Basic formation looks the same to me, but the player movement, especially from Sam and Jeff is a lot more noticeable, and the cross-ice passes have been a great addition.

[Doohicksie]

4 hours ago, Sakman said:

Of course Victor can't SKATE like Martin but you do see the shot a few times in this video.

I know that voice.... who's narrating that video?

[Two or less]

Olofsson was a guest on NHL Tonight this evening too.

 

[Taro T]

3 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

I don't think you're looking close enough. Yes, we used 4 forwards last year (as most teams do) but the arrangement and the motion were different. Dahlin is playing more to the middle of the ice than Risto did and Jack is playing off the circle, not at the point. The side to side motion is very different. These things may be subtle, but they matter. Also Skinner and Sam are weaving in and out in the front not just trying to stand in front. 

Dude, Eichel is setting up (when not roaming) right where he did the last 4 seasons.   And Ristolainen was at the top of the umbrella.  He just was slow in moving the puck from there last season.

And, what part of "there is always at least 2 guy moving to reset shooting lanes and force the D to move" does "Skinner and Sam are weaving in front ... " contradict?

And BTW, I was hoping the 2nd PP unit would go 2 D back in the preseason to change up the look and how opposing teams would defend.  (Check out the Thoughts on the PP thread for proof.)

[PerreaultForever]

1 hour ago, Taro T said:

Dude, Eichel is setting up (when not roaming) right where he did the last 4 seasons.   And Ristolainen was at the top of the umbrella.  He just was slow in moving the puck from there last season.

And, what part of "there is always at least 2 guy moving to reset shooting lanes and force the D to move" does "Skinner and Sam are weaving in front ... " contradict?

And BTW, I was hoping the 2nd PP unit would go 2 D back in the preseason to change up the look and how opposing teams would defend.  (Check out the Thoughts on the PP thread for proof.)

Not the same imo but sure, you're right as always.

Krueger just said "power play? I dunno, let's just do it like Phil did but with Olofsson in there, I'm not going to change anything else from that brilliance." Heck, everything is the same after all. How silly of me to think otherwise. 

Gotta get my eyes checked. 

[Taro T]

2 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

Not the same imo but sure, you're right as always.

Krueger just said "power play? I dunno, let's just do it like Phil did but with Olofsson in there, I'm not going to change anything else from that brilliance." Heck, everything is the same after all. How silly of me to think otherwise. 

Gotta get my eyes checked. 

Dude, don't know about getting your eyes checked, but you don't seem to be reading what is actually written. 

The player movement (aka not remaining stationary) on the power play has been a significant difference from last year and also the 1st 1/2 of the previous season but not from the 2nd 1/2 of that season in which either O' Reilly, Eichel, or both got the coaching staff to use the PP strategies from the previous year when they were the best in the league and the PP ended the year with a reasonably good ranking though it started the last O'Reilly year well into the bottom third.

And in ALL of those 4 years and in this 1 too, Eichel 's primary location was at the top of the left circle; drifting lower for the shot & higher to set up.

And having a sniper on the right circle is a so significantly different from what they did the 1st 76 games last year.

But when you state that Housley had Eichel setting up on the blue line last year alongside Ristolainen, you are mistaken.  (So maybe there was something there to setting up a visit with your ophthalmologist. ? )

[PerreaultForever]

watch the motion, it's not the same. 

[Curt]

1 hour ago, PerreaultForever said:

watch the motion, it's not the same. 

Taro already said that the improved player movement to create passing lanes was a change.  The only thing you two disagree about is whether there has been a change in the formation.
 

The basic PP formation (umbrella or 1-3-1) has been the same.  Their execution seems to have improved greatly.  The addition of Olofsson to the opposite circle is no small part of that, as he adds a shooting threat from there that was sorely lacking.

[Taro T]

2 hours ago, Curt said:

Taro already said that the improved player movement to create passing lanes was a change.  The only thing you two disagree about is whether there has been a change in the formation.
 

The basic PP formation (umbrella or 1-3-1) has been the same.  Their execution seems to have improved greatly.  The addition of Olofsson to the opposite circle is no small part of that, as he adds a shooting threat from there that was sorely lacking.

No, no, no.  Saying something to the effect of "(t)he player movement ... on the power play has been a significant difference from last year..." should be taken as proof that no difference in the player movement has been detected. 

Which clearly would then lead to no difference in how the puck moves through the offensive zone.  Right?

(Where's the roll eyes emoji when you need it?  The wall bash one would probably also work.)

[Doohicksie]

One thing I've noticed in this year's power play that seems different is that the vast majority of passing is "around the horn" - the umbrella players.  The jobs of Reino and Skinner seem to be to simply move around enough to disrupt the defensive box to open up passing lanes, and when a shot is made, to collapse on the net for a rebound.  It's working right now, but maybe at some point teams learn to ignore the slot players and hold their coverage of the passing lanes at the top of the formation.  The logical adjustment would be to pass the slot players more if they're not being actively covered.  But right now Reino and Skins look like little more than decoys.

[nfreeman]

8 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

Not the same imo but sure, you're right as always.

Krueger just said "power play? I dunno, let's just do it like Phil did but with Olofsson in there, I'm not going to change anything else from that brilliance." Heck, everything is the same after all. How silly of me to think otherwise. 

Gotta get my eyes checked. 

This, like a number of your recent posts, is obnoxious.  Take it down a notch please.

[triumph_communes]

I remember when Skinner was 'terrible' for the power play.  Now he just rarely sees the puck, but does great.

 

My favorite part of the power play is that the GLO line is not involved in either group, so we always have a strong line to follow-up a failed power play.  They let down too often last season after power plays, but no more!

[Curt]

58 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

One thing I've noticed in this year's power play that seems different is that the vast majority of passing is "around the horn" - the umbrella players.  The jobs of Reino and Skinner seem to be to simply move around enough to disrupt the defensive box to open up passing lanes, and when a shot is made, to collapse on the net for a rebound.  It's working right now, but maybe at some point teams learn to ignore the slot players and hold their coverage of the passing lanes at the top of the formation.  The logical adjustment would be to pass the slot players more if they're not being actively covered.  But right now Reino and Skins look like little more than decoys.

Agreed.  I have faith that Eichel/Dahlin will be able to adjust and find an open Skinner/Reino near the net/slot if PKs start to sag off of them.

[inkman]

Anyone concerned about Olof's lack of 5 on 5 scoring?  It was brought up on Hockey Central last night.  The PP is kinda blinding us to the 5 on 5 play of that line overall. 

[Doohicksie]

Nope, not at all.  They have more time and space to create on the power play.  They're often up against the other team's best line at 5v5.  As long as they play them to a draw I'm happy.  Keep the other team's top line in check and beat them with the PP or with one of the other lines.

The Eichel line will eventually find some 5v5 magic.

[MakeSabresGrr8Again]

15 minutes ago, inkman said:

Anyone concerned about Olof's lack of 5 on 5 scoring?  It was brought up on Hockey Central last night.  The PP is kinda blinding us to the 5 on 5 play of that line overall. 

 

10 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

Nope, not at all.  They have more time and space to create on the power play.  They're often up against the other team's best line at 5v5.  As long as they play them to a draw I'm happy.  Keep the other team's top line in check and beat them with the PP or with one of the other lines.

The Eichel line will eventually find some 5v5 magic.

No, I'm not worried. He has been a good 2-way player and that will at times take away some opportunities. I'm more than happy that he's not a liability on the ice and willing to be patient waiting for his opportunities to come. If he doesn't "cash in" often enough (or not at all) then I will show a little concern.