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Former Golden Knights Forward Signs With Avalanche
May 8, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Vegas Golden Knights right wing Victor Olofsson (95) celebrates after scoring a goal against the Edmonton Oilers during the first period of game two of the second round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Originally drafted in the seventh round (181 overall) of the 2020 NHL Draft by the Buffalo Sabres, Victor Olofsson played six seasons with the club before signing with the Vegas Golden Knights on July 2, 2024 , and now, roughly a year later, he has signed a one-year deal with the Colorado Avalanche.

Olofsson has shown that he has near guaranteed 20-goal potential; the Örnsköldsvik, Sweden native even scored 28 goals back in 2022-23, but he scored just 13 goals in his single season with Vegas. He also chipped in 2-2-4 in nine 2024-25 playoff games.

The 30-year-old will add a nice top-nine, if not bottom-six, piece to the Avalanche roster, one that has tremendous potential to make some noise in the playoffs, thanks to superstars Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon. Unfortunately, Colorado has been unable to get back to the Stanley Cup final since winning Lord Stanley in 2022.

Colorado's willingness to add depth to their lineup is a clear sign that they want to be prepared for a deep run and potentially battle for another cup while their star players are playing through their prime years.

Olofsson, of course, is a smart add, especially when you consider that he signed for just one year, so it won't handcuff the Avalanche financially, and it's savvy in that Olofsson is a safe bet to score 20 goals, and in the right situation, he could shoot a little higher than that.

In a pinch, Olofsson could provide a nice addition to the Avalanche's second power play unit. In no way would adding a 20-goal potential player to your second power play be a move perceived as a mistake.

Olofsson, who isn't known for his tremendous defensive play, had an uptick in that department this season and could prove to be a sneaky good move for the Avalanche, which also added veteran defenseman Brent Burns and re-signed depth forward Joel Kiviranta this offseason.

Colorado is keen on providing their top-six talents with some nice complementary pieces in the bottom-six, and Olofsson is another move in the right direction.

If there is an injury, Olofsson can play in a top-six, and his shot and scoring instincts will shine through, especially on MacKinnon's wing. No. 29 could turn an average player into a 30-goal scorer, so a guy who is a dangerous shooter should have no problem doing so.

This article first appeared on Breakaway on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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