You might not think much of Victor Olofsson. After all, he was brought in on a modest one-year, $1.075 million deal during the summer. However, he almost won the Vegas Golden Knights Game 2 with a solid performance.
You see, dear reader, Olofsson scored two goals and an assist in Game 2, including one on the power play. He was supposed to fill in for an injured Pavel Dorofeyev, who missed the first two games of the series. However, he might be putting down roots in Las Vegas for another year or two.
Olofsson also scored 15 goals and 14 assists, making him a valuable middle-of-the-lineup option. He got six power play goals and two power play assists to go with it. Not bad for a guy on a prove-it deal, huh?
All that sounds fine and Jim Dandy. However, the Golden Knights also have some offseason priorities once the postseason ends. First is the elephant in the room known as Jack Eichel's expiring contract. How much is Kelly McCrimmon willing to pay him?
Will he get a deal worth $12 million? Perhaps that number goes up more. Who knows? But one thing's for certain: The 29-year-old is making a solid case to stay in Las Vegas.
Can the Vegas Golden Knights re-sign Olofsson?
According to PuckPedia, the Vegas Golden Knights are projected to have $9.615 million in cap space for the summer. That gives them some wiggle room to re-sign a player or two while adding minor depth pieces.
That would likely come in the form of one-year "prove-it" deals similar to Olofsson's. Kelly McCrimmon hasn't shied away from taking a flier or two on forward talent looking to rebound. That's how Tanner Pearson magically turned a PTO into a one-year deal for himself, after all.
However, the Swedish forward does have some competition. For example, Brandon Saad has been the forechecking speedster the Golden Knights desperately needed. Sure, he has only two assists to show for his work. However, he works hard on every play and isn't afraid to get dirty.
There's also an "Original Misfit" in the equation: Reilly Smith. The 34-year-old had a solid 2024-25 season, scoring 13 goals and 27 assists. He's also back on the "shorthanded" world tour with fellow "Misfit," William Karlsson, scoring a power play assist during the regular season.
This will probably be one of the tougher choices that McCrimmon must make during the summer. Does he keep the power play merchant that aided the second-best unit during the regular season (28.3%)? Will he give a speedy, forechecking winger another shot in Las Vegas? Or does he go with a familiar face in Reilly Smith?
What could a Victor Olofsson contract extension look like?
Let's say that Olofsson does stick around with the Golden Knights. He's earned his keep and has carried the team attack throughout the rest of the postseason. Does he get a longer deal, or will he get a similar one-year deal, only with more money?
Let's play the unofficial role of the Swami and make some predictions, eh? Olofsson would likely get a two-year deal worth $2 million AAV if he were to stay. The winger does play the sniper role well, especially on the power play.
Given that he filled in nicely for Dorofeyev in Game 2, he would be an excellent depth piece should a unit member go down. Why not run it back and carry the same group (or close to) for the next season?
If Olofsson continues surprising the hockey world during the Stanley Cup playoffs, he could earn that coveted contract he's been seeking. The 29-year-old still carries offensive value for a team, especially those that want a better special teams group.
Who knows? He might just play his way into another deal after that. Crazier stuff has happened, after all.