Is Victor Olofsson still hurt?

[dudacek]

I've been wondering since he came back, and after last night, i think it's pretty obvious he is.

The number of times he declined to take his one-timer on the PP was a little frightening.

I admire him fighting through it, and I guess the team thinks he's not going to aggravate it, but not being able to shoot sure puts a hole in his game, and makes me wonder if he should remain on the PP.

Edited November 30, 2021 by dudacek

[Thorner]

7 minutes ago, dudacek said:

I've been wondering since he came back, and after last night, i think it's pretty obvious he is.

The number of times he declined to take his one-timer on the PP was a little frightening.

I admire him fighting through it, and I guess the team thinks he's not going to aggravate it, but not being able to shoot sure puts a hole in his game, and makes me wonder if he should remain on the PP.

You'd think they'd be a little hesitant to let a player play through injury, after was happened last year. But I guess it does ultimately come down to a player's decision, for pain tolerance. 

Edited November 30, 2021 by Thorny

[bob_sauve28]

That’s the question. But he did get the tying goal last night. Until he didn’t 

[Taro T]

1 hour ago, bob_sauve28 said:

That’s the question. But he did get the tying goal last night. Until he didn’t 

On a fluke bounce off a defenseman's leg.  Not exactly his typical PP snipe.

He's definitely still affected by the injury.  But in the last 2-3 games he has actually started shooting rather than always passing.  Which hopefully is a sign he's getting close to 100%.

[inkman]

Yes

[SHAAAUGHT!!!]

Mystery solved:  "Granato also confirmed that the injury Olofsson has been dealing with for a majority of the season was a wrist injury that has affected his ability to shoot the puck as he normally would."

https://www.audacy.com/wgr550/sports/sabres/listen-granato-not-even-close-to-seeing-best-of-rasmus-dahlin-yet

[GASabresIUFAN]

2 minutes ago, SHAAAUGHT!!! said:

Mystery solved:  "Granato also confirmed that the injury Olofsson has been dealing with for a majority of the season was a wrist injury that has affected his ability to shoot the puck as he normally would."

https://www.audacy.com/wgr550/sports/sabres/listen-granato-not-even-close-to-seeing-best-of-rasmus-dahlin-yet

Not a surprise.  He seems better with 7 goals in the 14 March games.

[Mustache of God]

If he's still injured he should have been sitting to let it fully heal. VO is a specialist and w/out his shot his on-ice impact hurts the team. 

[SHAAAUGHT!!!]

3 minutes ago, Mustache of God said:

If he's still injured he should have been sitting to let it fully heal. VO is a specialist and w/out his shot his on-ice impact hurts the team. 

I thought it was a strange decision too, but I haven't had a chance to listen to the interview to see if he went into his reasoning for keeping Olofsson in the lineup.

[Mustache of God]

4 minutes ago, SHAAAUGHT!!! said:

I thought it was a strange decision too, but I haven't had a chance to listen to the interview to see if he went into his reasoning for keeping Olofsson in the lineup.

He's better now, but it was painfully obvious during that 30 game stretch he had with zero goals that he was playing through an injury. Might have also coincided with all the other injuries we were plagued with and he was the best option, although I don't think a shotless VO would have been the best option.

I'm interested to see what KA does with him in the off-season. The wings are getting crowded with young talent. Do we trade him? I think his value is at an all-time low. I'd move him if the right deal came along, I can see him being moved in a deal that helps both teams. 
 

I can also see him hanging around on the 3rd line next season and ideally being used as a PP specialist, I just don't see him as a top-6 forward on a playoff team.

It also raises the questions, was VO the best draft pick for the Sabres, including Sam & Jack, by Tim Murray? I think maybe?

[Doohicksie]

1 hour ago, Mustache of God said:

If he's still injured he should have been sitting to let it fully heal. VO is a specialist and w/out his shot his on-ice impact hurts the team. 

Depends on the injury and the chances of reinjuring it while playing.

It could have been a question of having scar tissue and even with physical therapy it doesn't loosen up until he started shooting "for real."  He literally had to work it out.

[MattPie]

29 minutes ago, The Ghost of Yuri said:

Depends on the injury and the chances of reinjuring it while playing.

It could have been a question of having scar tissue and even with physical therapy it doesn't loosen up until he started shooting "for real."  He literally had to work it out.

Agreed.

Also, with the Sabres depth, VO that can't shoot might still be better than the replacement player. I haven't watched, has he shown improvement in other aspects fot he game?

[DarthEbriate]

1 minute ago, MattPie said:

Agreed.

Also, with the Sabres depth, VO that can't shoot might still be better than the replacement player. I haven't watched, has he shown improvement in other aspects fot he game?

I'd rather have shotless VO in the lineup than Bjork, for example. The trouble was Quinn came up and immediately got hurt. Tuch and Krebs weren't skating with the Sabres yet. Caggiula got hurt. It was helpful to at least have a responsible NHL-level player on the ice.

[Doohicksie]

39 minutes ago, MattPie said:

I haven't watched, has he shown improvement in other aspects fot he game?

I would say yes.

Prior to the injury, and while Mitts was out, Tage still adjusting to center and Tuch not yet here, I would say Okie and Olie were our two best forwards all around.  After the injury, it wasn't just his shot that wasn't there; all the strides he'd made early in the season seemed to have slipped.  In the last week or two, he's finally getting back to where he was with his all around game before getting injured.  I wouldn't say he's our best forward anymore or even close to it, but that's more about new faces coming in and young players maturing.

I think his shooting accuracy isn't quite 100% yet, but at least he's not afraid to shoot anymore and is able to put some mustard on it.

[SHAAAUGHT!!!]

5 hours ago, Mustache of God said:

I'm interested to see what KA does with him in the off-season. The wings are getting crowded with young talent. Do we trade him? I think his value is at an all-time low. I'd move him if the right deal came along, I can see him being moved in a deal that helps both teams. 
 

I can also see him hanging around on the 3rd line next season and ideally being used as a PP specialist, I just don't see him as a top-6 forward on a playoff team.

I actually think his value is higher than you'd think with this information about his wrist coming out, assuming he doesn't reinjure it before the end of the season.  

And I 100% agree with keeping him on the 3rd line.  I see him in an Al Kotalik type role: 3rd line/PP sniper that gets moved up the lineup if he gets hot.