Sheng Peng
Can Oskar Olausson help the San Jose Sharks?
The Sharks acquired Olausson from the Colorado Avalanche for Danil Gushchin on Friday.
Olausson is a 6-foot-2 winger, the No. 28 pick of the 2021 Draft. Gushchin is a 5-foot-8 winger, a third-round pick of the 2020 Draft.
San Jose Hockey Now reached out to four NHL scouts, none with the San Jose Sharks, for their opinions about Olausson.
But before we get to Olausson, a couple notes about Gushchin: It’s San Jose Hockey Now’s understanding that the Sharks wanted to give the pending RFA a change of scenery, so it’s fair to say that they held out for a reasonable return, not necessarily the optimal deal.
Also, as evidenced by the Russian winger signing a one-year contract with the Avs right after the deal, he’s not aiming to return to the KHL.
The Avs, armed with the best players in the world but in need of help on the wing, might be as good a spot that Gushchin could hope to land in.
It’ll be fair to criticize GM Mike Grier if Gushchin becomes a playoff-caliber contributor for the Avs — the Sharks clearly don’t believe that Gushchin is an everyday NHL talent, or they would’ve kept him — but until then, let’s just call it a change of scenery that both Gushchin and Olausson need.
The San Jose Sharks weren’t likely to get much more than Olausson, a recent first-rounder, in return anyway.
Speaking of Olausson?
Consensus is, he looks great off the bus, but…
“Change-of-scenery guy,” Scout #1 said. “Good [tools] but hasn’t been able to put it together yet.”
Tools like?
For starters, you can’t teach size. If 5-foot-8 Gushchin’s not scoring, he’s not very useful. That doesn’t have to be the case for 6-foot-2 Olausson.
He’s got to use that size more though. Scout #1 noted that Olausson needs to play in the interior of the offensive zone more.
So if the Swedish winger can adjust his mental approach?
These are the skills that could blossom in the NHL.
“Good shot and skilled. Good skater,” Scout #2 said. “Talented player.”
That was the consensus from all the scouts, though there was some debate about his hockey sense.
What else is holding Olausson back?
“Consistency and effort aren’t always there,” Scout #2 said.
“Needs to find consistency game-to-game and shift-to-shift,” Scout #4 said.
This all goes back to whether Olausson will change his mental approach or not.
He’s got to embrace more of a grinder’s mentality to complement his good-not-great NHL skill-set.
“He hasn’t really found an identity yet,” Scout #3 said. “Or bought into an identity.”
If Olausson can put it all together?
Scout #1 believes he’s got legitimate third-line NHL upside. And Olausson’s got another year on his ELC, though he’s not waiver-exempt, to make good on the promise from when he got drafted.
“Good trade [for the Sharks],” Scout #4 said. “[Olausson] needs a new look.”