Olivier is a player who has worked hard and fought – literally – his way into the NHL. His acquisition was most likely prompted by the two game series the Jackets played against the Minnesota Wild in 2021-22. The team was walked all over by a tough Wild team, ultimately wilting under the pressure put on them by heavyweights like Marcus Foligno, Jordan Greenway, and Nic Deslauriers.
When the Jackets picked up Olivier, a lot of people were critical of the trade for what looked like a classic “tough guy” acquisition. But if you followed the team closely, bringing in some muscle to keep opposing teams off of the talented offensive players for the Jackets, was a crucial need.