With a little over two months until the Vegas Golden Knights begin their 2024-25 season, anticipation is building. The season kicks off on October 9th against the Colorado Avalanche at T-Mobile Arena, also known as the Fortress. While predicting line combinations during the summer may not be very reliable, the news that new Golden Knight Victor Olofsson is projected to start the season on the top line brings hope. This optimism is based on his impressive 2019-20 season with the Buffalo Sabres.
Victor Olofsson and Jack Eichel Reunited in Vegas
A key connection between Olofsson’s past success and his future potential in Vegas is Jack Eichel. The duo played together for most of the Covid-shortened 2019-20 season, except when Olofsson was sidelined by a lower-body injury. Both players scored over 20 goals that season with similar shooting percentages, suggesting that their production could have continued if not for Eichel’s neck injury and the subsequent drama.
Since Eichel joined the Golden Knights, wingers playing alongside him have reached new offensive heights. For instance, Jonathan Marchessault achieved two of his top three scoring seasons (2021-22 and 2023-24) with Eichel, and Chandler Stephenson also had his best seasons (2021-22 and 2022-23) as Eichel’s linemate. Coach Bruce Cassidy and General Manager Kelly McCrimmon are hopeful this trend will continue with Olofsson.
Improving the Power Play
The addition of Olofsson could also boost the team’s power play, which has struggled in recent seasons. Here are the Golden Knights’ power play rankings over the past three seasons:
– 2023-24: 20th
– 2022-23: 18th
– 2021-22: 25th
In comparison, here are the power play rankings for the Buffalo Sabres, where Olofsson played:
– 2023-24: 9th
– 2022-23: 18th
– 2021-22: 12th
Olofsson’s career-high of 11 power play goals in 2019-20 would have tied Jack Eichel for the team lead last season. His second-best of seven would have tied William Karlsson for third on the Golden Knights in 2023-24. While it’s unlikely that Olofsson alone will propel the team into the top ten, reaching the top 15 or 12 is not out of reach.
Ivan Barbashev Joins the Line
Another reason for optimism is Olofsson’s potential pairing with winger Ivan Barbashev. Unlike his time in Buffalo, where consistent line chemistry was often disrupted, Olofsson will have a playmaker in Barbashev, who averages 23 assists per season and had 34 assists before joining Vegas. For a scorer like Olofsson, having a steady distributor is invaluable.
Though Sam Reinhart was a capable playmaker for Olofsson in Buffalo, the pair never established consistent chemistry due to Eichel’s injury. Now, with Barbashev, Olofsson has a chance to build that crucial on-ice relationship. The reality of this potential will start to emerge during the preseason in about 50 days.
Expectations for Olofsson in Vegas
Olofsson’s best goal-scoring season was 2022-23, with 28 goals in 75 games and a strong 17.4 shooting percentage. With the talent surrounding him in Vegas, reaching or even surpassing 30 goals is a realistic target, although some luck will be necessary. It’s more likely that he will score between 20-25 goals in the 2024-25 season. Such numbers would be welcomed by fans and demonstrate Olofsson’s value to the team.
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