The Vegas Golden Knights made a small roster move on Wednesday, sending Jonas Rondbjerg and Viliam Kmec to the Henderson Silver Knights. On the surface, that’s a routine shuffle. In reality, it points to something bigger: Victor Olofsson looks close to returning.
Olofsson was spotted at practice last week in a red no-contact jersey, and now he’s on the current four-game Eastern Conference swing through the Great Lakes region and Boston. Put that together, and the expectation is clear - the Swedish winger should be back sooner rather than later.
That would be a welcome boost for a Vegas offense that has been searching for more consistency. Olofsson has already shown what he can bring in his second stint with the Golden Knights, scoring four goals, including two on the power play, and adding an assist in four games before an undisclosed injury against the Seattle Kraken. In his first run with the club, he put up 15 goals and 14 assists, with six goals and two assists coming on the power play.
His return matters because Vegas has been missing a real shooter. The Golden Knights are 7-4-2 without Olofsson this season, with a goal differential of +2 after scoring 40 goals and allowing 38.
The offense has gone quiet at times, and that has left fans wanting more. There is at least one encouraging sign, though: Vegas has scored power play goals in four straight games.
That’s where Olofsson becomes especially valuable. He scored six power play goals during his first stint in Vegas, making him a dangerous option on the man advantage. He also brings cleaner puck play than the team has shown at times, with only four giveaways in that previous stretch.
The underlying numbers from that first run were strong, too - 70% Corsi and 71% Fenwick - which only adds to the case that he gives the Golden Knights more than just a shot. Before Tuesday’s 3-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins, Vegas had failed to score more than two goals in five losses over its previous six games. Puck management has been a problem, and the Golden Knights have the most team giveaways this season with 299.
Olofsson won’t fix everything by himself, but he should help steady an offense that has needed another reliable finishing touch, especially after Pavel Dorofeyev was traded away. For a team looking to get its attack moving again, his return feels like a meaningful one.
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Golden Knights Bring Lineup Intrigue And Milestone Buzz Into Detroit
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