The Olofsson and Mittelstadt Problem

[Mustache of God]

I like VO when he's clicking on the PP and I'm baffled why they're not feeding him pucks. When he's not clicking he always feels like a liability and I believe he's the type of player who I feel would absolutely wilt in the playoffs. 

I think KA could get a great return for him in a trade and wouldn't be upset if he was moved.

[GoPuckYourself]

We had a perfect chance last season at the deadline to deal Olofsson for a defensemen, I highly doubt we couldn't have gotten an upgrade to Bryson or even Jokiharju.

Middlestadt has been in the top 6 and although displays talent, it's not enough to warrant him being in our top 6, like another poster said "he blocks a spot for 1 of our younger prospects" which I agree. Casey also is a turnover machine, I was wrong on Dahlin and I want to be wrong on him also but my eyes see what they see, a mediocre talent.

 

 

[Thorny]

7 hours ago, Brawndo said:

VO and Mitts should be the one of the two scratched forwards on a nightly basis. 

The difference between having VO with Cozens and Peterka compared to Vinnie being with them is quite eye opening.

Fortunately the front office recognized this and went short term deals for both. 

The bolded made me chuckle a bit. There's only so much credit we can give the front office for "fortunately" realizing Mitts isn't good enough, after lining him up at 2C to start the season

[Thorny]

Also, there's no prospect in the system who can step in and do better than Mitts or VO right now, so they aren't "blocking" anyone. 

The only two NHL ready enough to make a true impact are Quinn and Krebs and they are in the same boat yet producing less. They haven't been blocked, either - they are playing. 

[Crusader1969]

3 minutes ago, Thorny said:

Also, there's no prospect in the system who can step in and do better than Mitts or VO right now, so they aren't "blocking" anyone. 

The only two NHL ready enough to make a true impact are Quinn and Krebs and they are in the same boat yet producing less. They haven't been blocked, either - they are playing. 

Absolutely right.  Next year maybe a different story but as of now there isn’t anyone “knocking” on the door 

 

 

[K-9]

17 hours ago, Pimlach said:

No, no yet.  Which prospects are being blocked?   Savoie had a look and went back to Juniors.  No one in Rochester is going to help right now.  No one in Europe is going to help right now. So far Quinn hasn’t been able to push a vet to the bench.  JJP is doing ok.  The prospects are all in their correct places   

I’m not suggesting anyone is being blocked, necessarily, I’m just wondering if players who’ve been taking turns sitting shouldn’t be taking turns sitting in favor of two players should aren’t playing well. 

[Crusader1969]

This topic is aging very badly.  😉

[K-9]

26 minutes ago, Crusader1969 said:

This topic is aging very badly.  😉

Why? Because Olofsson the one trick pony performed his one trick and Mitts got a lucky bounce on the faceoff to set it up? Need a lot more out of them than that. 

[Crusader1969]

17 minutes ago, K-9 said:

Why? Because Olofsson the one trick pony performed his one trick and Mitts got a lucky bounce on the faceoff to set it up? Need a lot more out of them than that. 

Relax.  It was a joke cause the first goal was Olofsson from Motts 

[K-9]

Just now, Crusader1969 said:

Relax.  It was a joke cause the first goal was Olofsson from Motts 

If I was any more relaxed, I’d be in a coma. 

[drnkirishone]

1 hour ago, K-9 said:

If I was any more relaxed, I’d be in a coma. 

What strain we be smokin on?

[Doohickie]

1 hour ago, K-9 said:

Olofsson the one trick pony performed his one trick

Twice.  He performed his one trick twice.

[K-9]

39 minutes ago, drnkirishone said:

What strain we be smokin on?

Edibles.

[matter2003]

12 hours ago, Brawndo said:

VO and Mitts should be the one of the two scratched forwards on a nightly basis. 

The difference between having VO with Cozens and Peterka compared to Vinnie being with them is quite eye opening.

Fortunately the front office recognized this and went short term deals for both. 

Still wanting VO scratched?

[Flashsabre]

Both are producing well to start the season. They might not play the style some prefer but both will have career years if they keep it up.

[Andrew Amerk]

So, you all want to get rid of a player with 6 goals in 8 games, and 3rd on the team in scoring?

Go ahead and take away the 2 EN goals, and it’s still a player on pace for a 40 goal season. 

Also, who cares if half of his career goals are power play goals? Someone needs to score. Nobody is saying he’s a one trick pony because half of his goals have been 5v5. 

Edited October 30, 2022 by Andrew Amerk

[Doohickie]

On 10/28/2022 at 7:43 PM, LGR4GM said:

This is Eakin level bad. They are a trainwreck.

 

Kyle Okposo in his Chicago postgame interview:  "That's something that gets lost in this whole analytical world is that you still gotta get the puck in the back of the net."  Olofsson is third on the team in scoring.  Mitts is fourth.  I'm not even sure why this thread exists.

[GASabresIUFAN]

10 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

Kyle Okposo in his Chicago postgame interview:  "That's something that gets lost in this whole analytical world is that you still gotta get the puck in the back of the net."  Olofsson is third on the team in scoring.  Mitts is fourth.  I'm not even sure why this thread exists.

VO is tied for the team lead in goals with 6 and Mitts is tied for the lead in assists with 5.  

Considering the D behind these guys, I'm not sure the current analytics mean much.

[LGR4GM]

5 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

VO is tied for the team lead in goals with 6 and Mitts is tied for the lead in assists with 5.  

Considering the D behind these guys, I'm not sure the current analytics mean much.

4 of Mitts 5 assists are pp assists. 

Olofsson has 6 goals sure but he's only scored in 3 games. I think 2 of his goals at even are empty netters. 

So we have Mitts getting pp assists on the leagues worse pp. We have 4 of olofsson goals in empty nets or on the pp. 

This is why looking surface level at numbers creates problems. This is the Stafford effect all over. These players have not been good or consistent and that's a problem.

[LGR4GM]

Ik the response will be other plays or players with pp and empty net stuff but the issue isn't the things Mitts and olofsson do well, it's all the other stuff they don't. They aren't well rounded and it hurts us at 5v5 in particular. 

[bob_sauve28]

VO on pace for a 60 goal season! 

[nfreeman]

I think the Mitts/Quinn line has been improved in the last 2 games, although still not where we need them to be.

I tend to agree that although VO is flawed, this team needs goals.  We aren’t getting anything from Skinner, Mitts, JJP, Quinn, VO or KO.   A guy who lights the lamp pretty consistently adds a lot of value and should be appreciated.  

[Crusader1969]

If they are struggling at 5v5 but are paramount to scoring to special teams , then it’s up to the coaching staff to find them favourable matchups or limit their time

as one negative post said “VO is a one trick pony”. But what a trick it is! What could be more important than actually scoring goals ???? 

[GASabresIUFAN]

3 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

4 of Mitts 5 assists are pp assists. 

Olofsson has 6 goals sure but he's only scored in 3 games. I think 2 of his goals at even are empty netters. 

So we have Mitts getting pp assists on the leagues worse pp. We have 4 of olofsson goals in empty nets or on the pp. 

This is why looking surface level at numbers creates problems. This is the Stafford effect all over. These players have not been good or consistent and that's a problem.

From the Athletic discussing VO and Mitts: https://theathletic.com/3743526/2022/10/30/sabres-kyle-okposo-tage-thompson/

“Olofsson’s night was headlined by his pair of power-play goals, but his line was also effective at five-on-five. According to Natural Stat Trick, Olofsson, Casey Mittelstadt and Jack Quinn accounted for 16 shot attempts and only one against in 8:04 of five-on-five ice time. They also had 98 percent of the five-on-five expected goals while they were on the ice. That’s an absurd evening of hockey from that group.”

 

Edited October 30, 2022 by GASabresIUFAN

[Archie Lee]

2 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

Ik the response will be other plays or players with pp and empty net stuff but the issue isn't the things Mitts and olofsson do well, it's all the other stuff they don't. They aren't well rounded and it hurts us at 5v5 in particular. 

This is true, but the issue is exaggerated by the small sample size through 6 or 7 games.  Mittelstadt was not going to play out the season with a sub 40% corsi any more than Craig Anderson was going to finish with a .970 save %.