The Colorado Avalanche have signed ahead Victor Olofsson to a 1-year, $1.575 million contract. Olofsson is coming off one of the best season of his profession with the Vegas Golden Knights after spending the primary six seasons of his profession with the Buffalo Sabres.
Olofsson was drafted within the seventh spherical of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft earlier than making his NHL debut within the 2018-19 season, when he scored two objectives and two assists in six video games. He scored 90 objectives and a complete of 192 factors in 314 video games with the Sabres.
Olofsson has persistently proven his offensive upside. Nonetheless, he had a minus-63 score in his profession in Buffalo, which raised questions on his compete degree and his lack of defensive influence.
Olofsson Reinvented Himself With Golden Knights in 2024-25
Final season, Olofsson scored 15 objectives and 29 factors in 56 video games with the Golden Knights, placing him on tempo for 21.96 objectives and 42.46 factors over a full season. Whereas these numbers usually are not as excessive as his 28-goal profession excessive in 2022-23 or his 49-point profession excessive in 2021-22, it was nonetheless by far Olofsson’s finest season within the NHL.
It is usually value noting that Olofsson completed the season in Vegas with a plus-17 score, the primary time in his profession he has completed with a optimistic purpose share. In 2024-25, Olofsson completed the season with a purpose share of 23.06% larger than the Golden Knights’ general purpose differential at five-on-five and by far one of the best amongst Vegas forwards.
Associated: 2025 NHL Free Company Tracker
Olofsson additionally completed with the second-best high-danger likelihood proportion and third-best anticipated purpose share proportion relative to the Golden Knights’ metrics as a group (by way of Natural Stat Trick).
Olofsson’s New-Discovered Versatility
Earlier than signing with the Golden Knights final season, Olofsson had two totally different two-year contracts with the Sabres. His first contract was value $3.05 million per season, and the second rose to $4.75 million per season. The 2024-25 season was the primary time in his profession that he was pressured to take a pay lower. He was not producing at a excessive sufficient offensive degree for groups to miss his defensive liabilities.
Nonetheless, his dedication to enjoying an entire 200-foot sport final season, whereas nonetheless producing at a 40-point tempo, makes him one of many higher and most underrated gamers on this free agent class. If he brings the identical consideration to element on the defensive finish in Colorado, the Avalanche will probably be getting a ton of worth on this contract.
