There’s a little over two months until the Vegas Golden Knights start their 2024-25 season. They kick it off October 9th against the Colorado Avalanche at T-Mobile Arena or, more affectionately known as, the Fortress. So, anyone guessing line combinations in the teeth of summer should be taken with a backpack full of salt. But news that new Golden Knight Victor Olofsson is projected to start the season on the top line is cause for hope. How much? Well, that could be found looking back at his breakout 2019-20 season in Buffalo.
Victor Olofsson and Jack Eichel Reunited, and It Feels So Good in Vegas
It makes logical sense to start with the connection between then and now: Jack Eichel. The two of them were together on the ice for the majority of that Covid-shortened season, outside of a lower-body issue for Olofsson. Both of them posted 20+ goal seasons off nearly identical shooting percentages. It stands to reason that this kind of mutual production would’ve continued the following season. Eichel was on track for a 57 point season in 2020-21 before his neck injury and the Bravo-level drama that filtered from it.
Ever since Eichel’s arrived in Vegas, the wingers paired with him end up hitting new levels offensively. Take Jonathan Marchessault, for example. Two of his three best scoring seasons (2021-22 and 2023-24) came with Eichel on the top line. Also, Chandler Stephenson had his two best scoring seasons (2021-22 and 2022-23) with Jack Eichel as his linemate. That’s a pattern Bruce Cassidy and Kelly McCrimmon are crossing their fingers would hold up with Victor Olofsson.
There’s another feature that could benefit from this line, and that is the team’s power play. It’s no secret that the Golden Knights power play hasn’t lit up the league in the regular season. Compare the last three seasons in power play percentage rank for VGK.
- 2023-24: 20th
- 2022-23: 18th
- 2021-22: 25th
Now let’s review the power play percentage for the last three seasons Victor Olofsson spent with the Buffalo Sabres.
- 2023-24: 9th
- 2022-23: 18th
- 2021-22: 12th
His high watermark in power play goals (11) back in 2019-20 would’ve tied Jack Eichel for the team lead this season. His second best? Seven. That would’ve tied William Karlsson for third on the Golden Knights in 2023-24. Does this all mean Victor Olofsson would get the team back up to the top ten in the league? Obviously, no. But top-15, top-12…not out of the realm of possibility.
Barbie Has Entered the Chat
Another reason to be hopeful is the winger lining up to opposite of him, Ivan Barbashev. With Barbashev, he’d have a piece that he didn’t have for long during his time in Buffalo, a distributor. He’s averaged 23 assists per season, including 34 assists the year before he came to Vegas. To someone with a scorer’s instinct like Victor Olofsson, that is music to his ears. Especially since he never had a chance with the Sabres to get comfortable with one before something would go wrong.
It’s not a knock on Sam Reinhart, of course. He has shown he can absolutely set up goals as well as score them. But they never had the chance to build that kind of rhythm before Eichel’s injury threw the proverbial wrench in things. He has that now with Barbashev. Whether it becomes a reality will start to show itself in the preseason in roughly 50-odd days.
Final Thoughts for Victor Olofsson in Vegas
Victor Olofsson’s best season goal-wise was only a couple of years ago. In 2022-23, Olofsson had 28 goals in 75 games powered by a terrific 17.4 shooting percentage. That’s an entirely plausible marker for him to reach, given the talent he’d be working with. One could make a case, with the talent alongside him, that he could break 30 goals this coming season. But that would take a good deal of puck luck to achieve. Ultimately, it’ll probably come between that season and his 20-goal 2019-20 season. In fact, Olofsson has scored 20 three times in Buffalo, in never more than 75 games played in a single season. Look for him to land somewhere between 20-25 goals in 2024-25. Those are numbers any fan worth their salt would take with joy and gusto.
Main photo: Timothy T. Ludwig
