Why Victor Olofsson returning to the Vegas Golden Knights matters

The Vegas Golden Knights made a minor move on Wednesday. They bumped down Jonas Rondbjerg and Viliam Kmec to the Henderson Silver Knights, making way for a name or two to come up to the roster.

Now, I know what you're thinking. Why is this move significant? What does this have to do with a big move on the Golden Knights? Well, here's the deal.

If you saw Victor Olofsson skating around during last week's practice, you saw him in a red no-contact jersey. Now, he's on the current four-game Eastern Conference swing that makes its way through the Great Lakes region (and Boston). Put two and two together and you'll see that the Swedish winger is expected to arrive sooner than expected.

Olofsson has been productive in his second stint with the Golden Knights. He scored four goals (two on the power play) and added an assist in four games before suffering an undisclosed injury against the Seattle Kraken. As for his first residency? He scored 15 goals and 14 assists, with six goals and two assists coming on the power play.

Believe it or not, Olofsson's impending return matters more for the Golden Knights than people realize. The offense has stalled and the team has missed one of its more appreciated shooters. But it isn't just Olofsson providing another shooting hand that makes the Golden Knights better.

Why Victor Olofsson will help the Vegas Golden Knights thrive offensively

First, the Golden Knights have a record of 7-4-2 without Olofsson this season. They have a goal differential of +2 (40 goals vs 38 goals allowed). The offense has gone through dry spells that have left fans disappointed. The good news? Vegas has scored power play goals in four straight games, signaling a turnaround in the man advantage.

That unit only gets better with a proven shooting winger in Olofsson. He scored six power play goals in his first Vegas residency, making him a vastly underrated weapon. But he's also provided a responsible side to the offensive attack with only four giveaways.

Add in excellent shooting (70% Corsi and 71% Fenwick) and you have someone who adds more to the Golden Knights' attack. Before Tuesday's 3-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Golden Knights failed to score more than two goals during their rough stretch of five losses in the six prior games. Part of the issue has been puck management, which has always been a Vegas problem.

It's no wonder the Golden Knights have the most team giveaways this season (299). Adding Olofsson back into the lineup should ensure better puck responsibility, although it won't outright solve the problem. Still, having a shooter after Pavel Dorofeyev was traded away also helps.

Golden Knights fans should be stoked that the Swedish winger is returning to the lineup soon. They're getting a better shooter than expected and one of the better offensive minds around. You know how the old saying goes. Nowhere to go but up, especially if you're the Vegas Golden Knights.

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