Not an afterthought anymore – Swedish sniper looks to give Sabres value
When he was drafted 181st overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2014 NHL draft, Victor Olofson was an afterthought. That’s no slight on him personally, it’s just that players drafted in the seventh and last round of the NHL draft don’t tend to become regular NHL players. Between 2005 and 2014, 26 players drafted in the last round has played 100 or more games in the NHL. That’s an average of 2,6 per draft class.
Now Olofsson has not yet reached the NHL either, but his progress in the SHL has given Buffalo Sabres and their following reason to keep their eyes on the high-scoring 22 year-old Swedish forward. In his second season with Frölunda from Gothenburg, Olofsson leads the league in scoring with 22 tallies in 40 games.
“There are a few reasons why I’ve had this success. First and foremost, I take the pucks to the net more often”, Olofsson explains. “I don’t really know if I shoot the puck more often than before, but it feels like I do and that I’m doing it from different angles.”
His shoot has always been his biggest asset on the ice. During his first development camp with the Buffalo Sabres, right after he was drafted in the summer of 2014, the coaches gushed about his release. In Frölunda, he has had the privilege of playing with the league’s leading scorer, American playmaker Ryan Lasch. That has certainly not hurt his production.
“I have really good linemates, both at even-strength and on the power play. They make i really easy on me and puts me in a position to shoot a lot”, he says. “Ryan Lasch is probably one of the best playmakers in the league and he just keeps setting me up. We also have Joel Lundqvist on our line, who is really good at digging out the pucks. I’m very comfortable with those two guys.”
Comfortable is good when you’re looking for a future with the Buffalo Sabres. When eliteprospects.com interviewed Olofsson, he had just had a meeting with Sabres’ Development coach and former NHL:er Adam Mair as well as Swedish scout Jan-Axel Alavaara. He has clearly made an impact on both.
“They’ve been giving me really good feedback. They want me to shoot the puck as much as possible, from every position”, Olofsson says. “They also want me to get to the inside more often, score some dirty goals on deflections and rebounds. That’s something I’m working on.”
Photo: Bildbyrån/Michael Erichsen
Victor Olofsson is very likely to be signed by the Sabres before the summer, otherwise the team will lose their rights to the left-winger. He says he feels ready to ply his trade in North America.
“I think I am”, he confirms. “I’m in my fourth season in the SHL and I feel pretty comfortable here. For every season, I feel like I’ve been taking on a bigger role. I feel ready and if they give me the chance I will absolutely take it. The NHL is something I’ve dreamt of for a long time. My goal is to play there.”
If he continues his development as a goal-scoring threat, Victor Olofsson could very well be the next afterthought drafted in the seventh round to make an impact in the NHL.
“When I was drafted, it was just a bonus, nothing I had counted on. But knowing that they’re interested has certainly been a motivational tool for me. Just knowing there’s a chance gives you that extra motivation to work harder.”
Soon we will know if that pays off for Victor Olofsson.
