When you lose a key forward on a day-to-day basis, you're looking for anybody to step up. Perhaps you want the winger on a one-year deal to play big. It could involve your biggest superstar scoring a goal or adding two assists. Whatever the case, someone must step in and grab the reins.
The Vegas Golden Knights are looking at such a situation with Pavel Dorofeyev. The Russian winger is out for a crucial Game 6 with an undisclosed injury, being given the dreaded day-to-day designation. He left Tuesday's game and didn't return to action in a 3-2 Vegas win.
That's a massive blow for a Golden Knights team looking to advance. You want your best players on the ice for a series-clincher, whether it's the goaltender or your top center. Not having Dorofeyev hurts in various ways, after all. That includes a vaunted power play that needed someone up top and carrying the top two lines.
Oh, what will a team do without their rising superstar? Will they waive the white flag before the team even hits the ice? No. That's not what winners do. They rely on other players to carry the load, particularly with this Swedish forward.
He returned to form during the 2024-25 season, scoring 15 goals and 14 assists. That's a noticeable improvement from his transparent 2023-24 campaign, where he produced half of those numbers (seven goals and eight assists). Why does he need a massive Game 6 against the Minnesota Wild on Thursday?
The one forward who must help the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 6
When the Vegas Golden Knights signed Victor Olofsson to a one-year, $1,075,000 contract, the premise was simple. It was a prove-it deal to get the Swedish forward back on his feet. He fell off the face of the Earth in his last season with the Sabres, leaving him unattractive to potential teams.
But that didn't deter Kelly McCrimmon from giving him a small contract. He got his one-year deal and doubled his production from the prior season. Unfortunately, that wasn't enough to keep him as a lineup mainstay during the playoffs. He didn't play in Games 4 and 5 with Tanner Pearson filling in.
With Pavel Dorofeyev out of the lineup, it gives Olofsson the ultimate chance to prove he has staying power. He'll get an opportunity to play on the top power play unit, filling in for the Russian winger. There's more than advancing to the second round that's at stake, though.
Why Victor Olofsson needs a big Game 6 for the Golden Knights
Kelly McCrimmon re-signed a wave of pending free agents to contract extensions throughout the regular season. That includes key stars such as Shea Theodore (seven years, $51,975,000) and Adin Hill (six years, $37,500,000). The objective? Get core players locked in for the current Stanley Cup window.
Of course, there are six other pending free agents after this season (including Jonas Rondbjerg and his Group 6 free agency). Key names such as Reilly Smith and Brandon Saad loom large in McCrimmon's book and will be on his radar.
For Victor Olofsson, this is the perfect opportunity to prove he should stick around. He's on the power play's top unit, replacing Dorofeyev. The 29-year-old also has a chance to make himself a mainstay on the playoff roster. That chance comes with a second-line spot with Saad and Tomas Hertl. Here, he can capitalize with two other prominent goal scorers and establish his case for a new contract.
2024-25 has been a redemption arc for Olofsson. He's climbed back from his paltry 2023-24 season and became a solid depth forward. That could turn into a cost-friendly deal for the Golden Knights if he has a solid playoff showing the rest of the way. Of course, that starts with Game 6 in a series-clinching scenario against the Minnesota Wild.