The Top 25 Under 25 is a collaboration by members of the Die By The Blade community. six writers and 718 readers ranked players under the age of 25 as of September 1, 2018 in the Buffalo Sabres organization. Each participant used their own metric of current ability and production against future projection to rank each player. Now, we’ll count down each of the 25 players ranked.
At lucky number 13 is Victor Olofsson. The young Swede is a powerhouse forward with, “the best shot,” Rasmus Dahlin has ever seen. Olofsson starred on Frolunda HC in the Swedish Hockey League, where he’s acquired 117 points in 200 games.
He lead the SHL in goals for the 2017-18 season with 27. His final year with Frolunda was his most productive, in which he had 43 points in his 50 matchups.
If there is one knock on Olofsson, it is his size. At 5’11” and 172 lbs, there is little question that Olofsson will have to work to put on some weight as he transitions from the European game to the North American style. His speed and skating style might make him hard to hit, however, it’s going to be difficult for the young forward to win the physical battles at his current weight.
As the kids say, ‘dat shot, doe.’ Olofsson has the innate ability to turn the most innocuous play into a goal, and to make it look easy. All of a sudden, Buffalo’s extended roster is flush with good shooters, which is great for a team that has struggled to score for the better part of a decade.
Aside from his NHL-ready shot, Olofsson has solid playmaking ability. He and Rasmus Dahlin played off of each other well for Frolunda, and will surely bring that chemistry to Western New York. It will be nice for Buffalo defenders to have a forward that makes a concerted effort to include them in the play.
Though Olofsson will likely play most of the season in Rochester, the left-handed shot may find himself in Buffalo if the bench is shortened by injury, and it would be difficult to imagine that such a skilled wing would be buried with a depth checking line. It would be fun for fans to get a glimpse of what these young Swedes have to offer.