Minnesota Wild: Right To Give Up On Gustav Olofsson?

With the Minnesota Wild announcing that they’ve traded Gustav Olofsson to the Montreal Canadiens, you have to wonder, as with all trades, whether they’ve made the right decision.

Was it wise for the Minnesota Wild to give up on Gustav Olofsson or, as has been the case in the past, will there be a level of regret associated to this trade eventually?

Headed to Montreal, possibly via their minor-league affiliate, the Laval Rocket is the Minnesota Wild’s 2nd round pick (46th overall) from the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.

He has spent the past five years in the Minnesota Wild’s system, but unfortunately never broke through as a regular on the NHL roster.

Playing 120 games with the Iowa Wild, he posted a -17 plus/minus, whilst managing to score 42 points. Not bad returns given that the team wasn’t exactly the strongest in the AHL.

Last year, injuries gave him plenty of time up in the NHL, making 41 appearances with a return of 8 assists. Not bad statistics, really.

He is what you might describe as a little boring, which in a defensive sense is never a bad thing. He typically looked to make smarter, simpler plays as opposed to any sort of crazy break-out pass.

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Olofsson wasn’t about to send in a thunderous slap-shot from the blue line, but equally he wasn’t really prone to giveaways; his body offering enough size and muscle to shake the opposing team off, at least somewhat.

The Minnesota Wild, I don’t think, will have any regrets on giving up on him. This pre-season was his perfect chance to shine and make a run for the third pairing.

He didn’t perform well enough, got injured and as a result found himself starting the year with the Iowa Wild. Trading him away makes sense because some of the other guys in the AHL did manage to make an impact and prove that they’re able to step up should they be called upon.

It’s never fun to give up on someone whom you have drafted. There’s no doubt about that, whether you’re the Minnesota Wild or anyone else in this league.

However, a General Manager in their right mind doesn’t turn down a chance to add some young potential for a player that may have reached his ceiling.