Avalanche re-assign former first-round pick Oskar Olausson to AHL

After their game last night, a 4-3 loss to the Vancouver Canucks, the Colorado Avalanche announced they’ve re-assigned winger Oskar Olausson to the Colorado Eagles, their AHL affiliate. No corresponding move was announced. The transaction leaves the team with only 11 forwards, however, Colorado does not play again until tomorrow afternoon.

A first-round pick of the Avalanche, 28th overall, back in 2021, Olausson was called up just yesterday, mere hours before he was re-assigned, but didn’t go away without getting to make his NHL debut in last night’s game, in which he played just over seven minutes. Sending Olausson back to the AHL certainly isn’t an indictment on his performance last night, with Colorado needing the twelfth forward and Olausson being waiver-exempt.

Olausson, 20, has impressed since coming to North America after being drafted. The winger played last season in the OHL, his only season there, splitting time between the Barrie Colts and Oshawa Generals, where he combined for 26 goals and 23 assists in 55 games. The Swede made his AHL debut this season with the Eagles, where he’s posted four goals and four assists through 16 AHL games. While he now represents a capable fill-in for the Avalanche as needed, one would expect Olausson to continue to work on his game in the AHL as he’s still one of the organization’s top prospects.