Five free agent right wingers the Colorado Avalanche can realistically afford — and what they would cost

Victor Olofsson (RW/LW)

Background

Olofsson, a gifted, puck-savvy winger from Ornskoldsvik, Sweden, was drafted 181st overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the seventh round of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. He found relative success across six seasons in upstate New York, but his production slipped in each of his last three seasons, after which he was not re-signed by Buffalo. Olofsson then inked a one-year, $1.075mil deal with the Vegas Golden Knights for the 2024-25 season, and he played well, getting his plus/minus out of the negatives for the first time since his rookie year. While this is partially due to playing on a winning team, it's also indicative of what kind of a team-player he can be when given the chance.

Upside

Having escaped the consistently-underperforming Sabres, Olofsson put up admirable numbers with the Golden Knights, and he ended the season on the top line alongside Brett Howden and fellow former-Sabre Jack Eichel. He was also on Vegas' second powerplay unit, although he only averaged 0.52 minutes of ice time when on the man advantage. While with the Sabres, however, he was a more integral component of the powerplay, and he was lethal, at times.

Additionally, one of the perks of Olofsson's strong skating and puck-handling skills is that, across his career, he has drawn significantly more penalty minutes (64) than he has taken (44). Opponents end up hooking and tripping him as he deftly works his way around the ice.

Risks

His sharp decline toward the end of his time in Buffalo is worrisome, although that was partly due to under-usage; he felt jilted by the Sabres' organization (sound familiar?), and he went on the record, saying that his last season in Buffalo was "a very big disappointment... it was... frustrating." As he enters his age-30 season, it's unlikely that his production will increase much more before it starts to taper off, and this is something that GMs will certainly be aware of before offering him a contract. While his stock rose after a better year in Vegas, there are still concerns.

Despite the ice time alongside some of Vegas' star players, and despite putting up a little over 0.5 points-a-game for the Golden Knights his production didn't match that of his linemates. Olofsson played primarily on the top two lines, but, out of the other Vegas players who spent most of the season in the top-six, he put up some of the worst points per game (P/GP) stats:

*Reilly Smith was traded from the New York Rangers [back] to the Vegas Golden Knights on March 6, 2025
**Brandon Saad was signed by the Vegas Golden Knights on January 31, 2025

Role

Olofsson would be a complimentary third-line winger who could step up in the lineup if needed. There's room for him on the second powerplay unit, too, if he can offer the kind of offensive upside he has shown in the past. It's difficult to argue that a nearly-30-year-old hasn't yet found his full potential, but he's a player who could truly establish himself as a star in the right circumstances — ones like he would find in Colorado.

Cost

There's a very high likelihood that a team looking for an immediate jolt of top-six offensive production overpays for Olofsson and offers some considerable term (four of five years), and the Avs can't really afford to do either of those things. However, the kinds of teams willing to spend big on a middling player are ones not likely to be in contention any time soon: the Anaheim Ducks, Chicago Blackhawks, Columbus Blue Jackets, San Jose Sharks, and Seattle Kraken would all be solid fits for Olofsson. By that same token, however, said teams will have more top-six opportunities for Olofsson, so it comes down to what he's looking for in his next contract.

If he more highly values contention for a Stanley Cup in the back half of his pro career than he values a bigger payday, he will consider deals with less term and a diminished role. The Avs can certainly offer him that. If the Avs do go in on Olofsson, someone else will have to be moved out; the most likely trade candidate here is fellow winger Miles Wood, who is currently making $2.5mil a year for the next four seasons. In order to facilitate this signing, it would also require the Avs to move on from either Jonathan Drouin or Joel Kiviranta — or possibly both. Olofsson will likey command $3-3.5mil AAV and will look for at least three years.