dlbalr Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 Interesting move here, the Habs have acquired Gustav Olofsson from Minnesota (who cleared waivers today) in exchange for Will Bitten. http://www.habsworld.net/2018/10/habs-acquire-gustav-olofsson/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trizzak Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 Uh... More to come? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlbalr Posted October 3, 2018 Author Share Posted October 3, 2018 5 minutes ago, Trizzak said: Uh... More to come? Yeah - give me a bit of time and I'll have a write-up on the website about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xXx..CK..xXx Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 Over/under on goals during a calendar season is a little lower than Schlemko and Alzner’s 1. We’ll have Olofsson’s over/under for goals starting at 0.5. Ill start us off with an under prediction. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trizzak Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 5 minutes ago, dlbalr said: Yeah - give me a bit of time and I'll have a write-up on the website about it. Just write "Marc Bergevin loves trading for 'Marc Bergevin'" like it's the typewriter transcript in The Shining. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PMAC Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 6 minutes ago, Trizzak said: Just write "Marc Bergevin loves trading for 'Marc Bergevin'" like it's the typewriter transcript in The Shining. 6 minutes ago, Trizzak said: Why the hell would Bergevin trade a 20 year old like Bitten for a 23 year old with ZERO offensive ability who JUST cleared waivers??!!! Just when I think he might actually have learned something and actually developed a plan he makes this kind of boneheaded deal? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machine of Loving Grace Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 Not happy with this. Really liked Bitten. Thought he could have been our next Byron. Olofsson... I know he has shoulder issues. Maybe someone knows better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlbalr Posted October 3, 2018 Author Share Posted October 3, 2018 I had seen a report earlier this week that Minnesota had been shopping him - I did a blurb for PHR about it: https://www.prohockeyrumors.com/2018/10/wild-investigating-the-trade-market-for-gustav-olofsson.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlbalr Posted October 3, 2018 Author Share Posted October 3, 2018 12 minutes ago, PMAC said: Why the hell would Bergevin trade a 20 year old like Bitten for a 23 year old with ZERO offensive ability who JUST cleared waivers??!!! Just when I think he might actually have learned something and actually developed a plan he makes this kind of boneheaded deal? The point of trading for a player that just cleared waivers is to enable the acquiring team to send him down to the minors instead of being stuck with him up in the NHL. They did this on Monday with Brett Kulak as well. Including a player in the return allows them to keep their current space on the 50-contract limit (they're at 47). That it's Bitten going the other way is a bit surprising. I know his offensive game isn't likely to translate to the pros but he could be an intriguing energy player in the bottom six. My guess is that between that ceiling and the fact he was on the borderline to crack Laval's lineup (I had him as a 4th liner/healthy scratch based on the depth chart - which reminds me, I need to start the season thread for them...) made him expendable in their eyes. Olofsson isn't a complete non-entity either. He's still fairly young and is coming off a season where he didn't play much because of his waiver status (this is a preview of the Nikita Scherbak situation for this season). I could see them thinking that a bit of time in Laval could get him to the point where he could come up when injuries strike or someone gets dealt and actually contribute a bit to the NHL roster. The fact that it took Bitten and not a non-prospect like Waked tells me that Minnesota was of the same mindset and required getting someone with some value going the other way. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PMAC Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 Yes, I know they traded for him so that they had the Laval option but I thought-and still think— that Bitten will exceed expectations at the NHL level. That is why I was questioning the trade- that and a rebuilding team trading a wavier exempt 20 year old for a 23 year old. Maybe—hopefully— I’m wrong and Bergevin is right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trizzak Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 How many Not-Quite-NHL defensemen does the organization need though? The Czechs, Kulak, Lernout, Olafsson... Great, we're covered with five options if Benn goes down to injury, but none of these guys move the needle in a top 4 role which is the Habs GLARING weakness. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commandant Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 A look at Olofsson. I like the move. I think he can play. https://lastwordonhockey.com/2018/10/03/montreal-canadiens-acquire-gustav-olofsson-from-minnesota-wild-scouting-report/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 If he skates better than Benn and Alzner, and is equally inept offensively, he is still an upgrade. And as MB says, you can never have enough depth defenseman, and character and attitude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meller93 Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 14 minutes ago, Commandant said: A look at Olofsson. I like the move. I think he can play. https://lastwordonhockey.com/2018/10/03/montreal-canadiens-acquire-gustav-olofsson-from-minnesota-wild-scouting-report/ Glad someone else thinks this isn’t a bad move! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DON Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 32 minutes ago, Trizzak said: How many Not-Quite-NHL defensemen does the organization need though? The Czechs, Kulak, Lernout, Olafsson... Great, we're covered with five options if Benn goes down to injury, but none of these guys move the needle in a top 4 role which is the Habs GLARING weakness. Kinda doubt Minni would trade Brodin for Bitten. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alfredoh2009 Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 Olofsson and Lernout can now develop in Laval and become solid shutdown Ds with decent skating abilities Fleury and Kulak seem to have more upside potential and are also good skaters These moves seem to be positive from many perspectives. I liked Bitten, but in a couple of years he may only be a bottom-6 forward. I think overall this move is good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BCHabnut Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 Wasn't the upside on bitten pretty good? Nor sure why you trade a potential 3rd liner for a fringe nhler. I guess ollafson is a known quality while bitten could also end up a fringe nhler as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machine of Loving Grace Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 15 minutes ago, BCHabnut said: Wasn't the upside on bitten pretty good? Nor sure why you trade a potential 3rd liner for a fringe nhler. I guess ollafson is a known quality while bitten could also end up a fringe nhler as well Bitten is no guarantee. I just personally really liked him and was rooting for him. Olofsson may have needed a new environment to get to the next step. Could end up a big win by filling a positional need and our scouting of Minnesota has been very good. Or Bitten breaks out with the Wild. Or we forget the trade by next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alfredoh2009 Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 Is he related to Olofsson from this year's draft? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlbalr Posted October 3, 2018 Author Share Posted October 3, 2018 20 minutes ago, BCHabnut said: Wasn't the upside on bitten pretty good? Nor sure why you trade a potential 3rd liner for a fringe nhler. I guess ollafson is a known quality while bitten could also end up a fringe nhler as well Bitten's a high floor, low ceiling player. He wasn't a big scorer in junior which drops his upside to an energy player. I like him as a prospect but if you're going to move a prospect for short-term depth, dealing someone that has depth/role player upside is probably the right pool to draw from. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John B Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 I'm a little disappointed with this one. Not that I don't like Olofsson, he's fine and could end up being a decent cheap bottom pair guy real soon. I just think Bitten is a better prospect. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neech Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 It seems like we sent the higher ceiling guy packing, and that we acquired the bigger player who would fit better in the late 90's version of the NHL that Bergy has never abandoned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DON Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 2 hours ago, BCHabnut said: Wasn't the upside on bitten pretty good? NO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DON Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 1 hour ago, John B said: I just think Bitten is a better prospect. Why? He didn't stand out as an overager in junior and dlbalr had him barely making Laval, so why? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DON Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 1 hour ago, Neech said: It seems like we sent the higher ceiling guy packing, and that we acquired the bigger player who would fit better in the late 90's version of the NHL that Bergy has never abandoned. Skating Olofsson is a strong skater with good mobility on the back end. He has good speed and acceleration in both directions, with solid edgework, pivots and agility. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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