Sabres re-sign Olofsson

*Photo from the Hockey Writers*

   The man they call Goal-ofsson is back in the fold. The Buffalo Sabres and LW/RW Victor Olofsson have agreed to a two year, $9.5 million deal with a $4.75 million AAV, according to an announcement made by the Sabres.

   Olofsson was an RFA after his previous contract, a two year deal with a $3.05 million AAV had expired at the end of the 2021-2022 season. This is his 3rd career NHL contract, and he will be a UFA when the deal expires following the end of the 2023-2024 season.

   He had a productive season last year, tying a career high in goals, while setting new career highs in assists and points. He did this despite playing with a injury that held him out for 10 games in November, and it was an injury that affected his shooting motion when he returned to action.

   Olofsson said about the injury that "I think it helped me a lot, just coming out of it eventually. I've never had a stretch in my career where not only I didn't score, I didn't play well. I didn't play with the confidence I usually have. It was good learning experience, and I feel coming out of it I probably played some of my best hockey here at the end. So, I'm really exciting bring that into next year, for sure."

   Last season with the Sabres, Olofsson ended the regular season with 20 goals and 29 assists, recording a -16 plus/minus rating while averaging 15:23 of ice time in 72 games for the Sabres, who finished in 5th place in the Atlantic Division last season with 75 points.

   In his career, spanning 4 seasons with the Sabres, Olofsson has 55 goals and 72 assists, with a -39 plus/minus rating while averaging 16:56 of ice time per game, playing in 188 career regular season games. Olofsson has never made the playoffs while in the NHL.

   The former 7th round draft pick in 2014 ended the year on a high note, much like the rest of the Sabres. In games after March 1, Olofsson tied for second on the team with 13 goals in that span, and 3rd on the team with 25 points in the 28 games after March 1. He was also 3rd in the NHL in game winning goals in that same time span, netting 5 game winning goals.

   By re-signing Olofsson, the Sabres have another part of their young core locked in for the next two seasons as they look to build off the momentum they ended last season with.