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The Colorado Avalanche took one of the better remaining free agents off the board on Wednesday, signing forward Victor Olofsson to a one-year, $1.575 million contract, the team announced.
It's the second consecutive one-year deal for the Swede, who suited up in 56 contests with the Vegas Golden Knights in 2024-25, chipping in 15 goals and 29 points in that span.
The 30-year-old was originally selected No. 181 overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2014 NHL Draft, and spent a couple of seasons in Sweden's elite league before coming to North America ahead of the 2018-19 campaign.
After one year in the American Hockey League with the Rochester Americans, Olofsson turned heads in his rookie year with the Sabres, amassing 20 goals and 42 points in just 54 games in 2019-20.
He followed it up with 32 points the next season before setting a career high with 49 points in 72 games in 2021-22. His form began to slip in more recent years, and he really struggled in his final one in Buffalo, managing just 15 points in 51 games in 2023-24 during the worst season of his pro career.
After seven years in Western New York — and not a single postseason game to show for it — Olofsson left to sign a one-year, $1.075 million contract with the Golden Knights in free agency.
He was good if not great on the strip, but set the franchise record for the longest road point streak after notching at least one in 10 consecutive games between December 4 and January 23.
In his first career taste of playoff action, Olofsson helped Vegas beat the Minnesota Wild in Round 1 before bowing out to the eventual Western Conference champion Edmonton Oilers in five games. He added four points in nine games during the run.
Where will Victor Olofsson fit in Avalanche lineup?
Olofsson got a bit of a raise from his last deal, and now gets an opportunity to join another Stanley Cup contender in the Avalanche. As one of the few remaining quality scoring options on the free agent market, he should be a nice addition to Colorado's bottom-six.
If he can return to the level of play that helped him become one of the better secondary scorers in the Eastern Conference at the beginning of his career, this could be an excellent add for Chris MacFarland and the front office.
At his best, Olofsson is an offensive weapon with a great shot who is of especial danger on the man advantage. It'll be tough for him to crack PP1 in Denver considering the star power on the roster, but Daily Faceoff already projects him landing a spot with the second unit.
The outlet also has him skating on the third line alongside Jack Drury and Ross Colton. It's a spot where he could thrive, and he would also be a candidate for a call-up to the top-six in the case of an injury, which has been commonplace in Colorado's ranks over the last few years.
In 2024-25, the Avalanche used a remarkable 49 players throughout the regular season, so it makes complete sense why the front office continues to stockpile depth.
It'll be interesting to see how Olofsson fares in Denver in 2025-26, and whether it will earn him a larger commitment on his next contract.
