Oskar Olausson

September 2024 – Fully healthy and with NHL roster spots openly available, Olausson is among the second wave of cuts from the Avalanche pre-season roster. In training camp he looked like one of the closer prospects, and his pre-season stat line through 2 games wasn’t bad (1A, 4 SOG,  2 PIM, 2 hits, 2 blocks), but he simply wasn’t noticeable enough, especially without the puck. Other fringe options have been better on the forecheck and looked just as good on the powerplay despite Olausson’s pedigree. If he can replicate last year’s production he will be at the top of the call sheet when (more) injuries hit, but for now owners will be disappointed that he couldn’t lock down a spot. Hayden Soboleski

May 2024 – 11 goals and 20 points exactly matched his previous season’s totals, but Olausson did it in 39 games rather than 60 this time around. Shoulder surgery ended his campaign in February, cutting off a streak of 9 points in 9 games. His shot volume stayed on par with the year prior, but his shooting percentage increased in a sustainable way thanks to focusing on forcing higher danger chances. He likely won’t shoot 12.5% over his career, but this is more realistic for his game than the 8.5% he posted as a rookie. Development is going in the right direction. Hayden Soboleski

October 2023 – Olausson has been assigned to the AHL Eagles for the 2023-24 campaign, but a strong pre-season with two goals in four games led coach Bednar to say that he will be among the top call-up options throughout the year. The knock on the scoring winger is still consistency, not upside, so maintained production in the minors will be the main thing for fantasy owners to watch for. Hayden Soboleski

May 2023 – Olausson finished his AHL rookies campaign with 20 points in 63 games played. These numbers aren’t eye-popping, but he was a mainstay in the top half of the lineup while other young prospects were healthy scratched or given bottom-six minutes. This bodes very well for the organization’s plans for him in the future, as the Eagles have been unafraid of limiting the minutes of high-upside players if they don’t buy in at both ends of the ice. His shot volume translated well to the pros and he is able to get high-danger chances which doesn’t come as easily as in junior. Expect at least one more year of seasoning in a scoring role in the minors before seeing any real NHL action, but at this time he is the front runner for a future top-six role among his fellow prospects. Hayden Soboleski

November 2022 – As injuries continue to plague the Avs, Colorado called up Olausson for his NHL debut, then sent him back to the minors immediately after. In his one appearance he played seven minutes and put up no counting stats in that time. His nine points in 17 AHL contests is perfectly fine but well back from rookie leaders in the minors. Expect the organization’s (arguably) top prospect to continue in the Eagles’ top-six for now; he may see another NHL game or two but the team’s injuries would have to create an incredible backlog for the youngster to be fantasy worthy in 2022-23. Hayden Soboleski

September 2022 – Olausson has been cut from the Avs roster after three pre-season games and assigned to the AHL. The 2021 first-round-pick was a longshot to make the highly competitive club out of camp and had a lackluster camp where older prospects on the bubble on average out-shined the younger crop. This isn’t a big knock on the 19-year-old – the promise shown in the OHL and AHL last season has fantasy owners rightfully excited to see what he does in his first full pro campaign, where he will be expected to see ample top-six time. He has been a quick adjuster throughout his career so a hot start and a steep trajectory should not surprise anyone. Hayden Soboleski

May 2022 – Olausson put up two assists in his first AHL contest – a playoff blowout where the Eagles put up 10 goals. His follow-up was less impressive, putting up just one shot and getting outscored in a tight game that required OT. He manned the top line in both games, a position other prospects on the team have been waiting patiently for. It is certainly promising for fantasy owners to see the scorer getting an AHL shot so quickly, but remember the similar events happening to Ranta last season who has since shown the need for more patience. Hayden Soboleski

May 2022 – After posting 49 points in 55 games as an OHL rookie, Olausson is joining the AHL Eagles for their playoff run. The volume-shooting winger’s number took a small step backward after being traded from Barrie to Oshawa mid-season, but his 14 goals and 24 points in 33 games on a new squad was still very respectable. We know from experience that shooters often hit a wall when turning pro where they get less time and space to get a shot off, but if he makes the jump and sticks in pro this fall, the former 1st-round-pick will cement his status as a top prospect in the organization. Hayden Soboleski

December 2021 – Olausson wasted no time acclimating to the OHL and is currently leading his team with 12 goals plus 13 assists in 22 games played. This earned him a spot on Team Sweden for the WJCs before their cancellation, where managed two points in two contests manning the top forward line. Now listed as slightly taller and heavier than his draft measurements, the winger looks to be yet another strong asset in the cupboard for the Avs and may be worthy of an extended look in training camp next season if he keeps it up. Hayden Soboleski

September 2021 – Olausson signed an ELC with the Avalanche shortly after being drafted and is moving to North America this season…but not turning pro just yet. In order to receive big minutes the newcomer will be joining the OHL Barrie Colts where he projects to be among the team’s top scoring threats. This will be a good opportunity to transition him to the continent but expectations will be high for the first-round pick. Hayden Soboleski

July 2021 – Olausson was selected in the first round, 28th overall by the Colorado Avalanche in the 2021 NHL Draft. Nick Richard

January 2021 – Olausson spent most of the first part of his draft year playing for HV71’s junior team in the J20 Nationell. In between SHL recalls, he torched the U20 circuit to the tune of 14 goals and 13 assists in just 16 games. HV71 again brought him up to the SHL at the end of November and Olausson proceeded to score his first three SHL goals in the first three games of what would become his first extended stint at Sweden’s top level. He has been held off the scoreboard ever since, however, and was recently loaned to Sodertalje in the Allsvenskan.

Olausson cracked the Swedish roster for the 2021 World Juniors as a first-year draft-eligible and adapted well to playing more of a two-way game as a bottom-six forward but was held off the scoresheet through four games.

Olausson’s greatest asset is his skating ability, with speed to burn and the lateral mobility to weave through tight spaces. He has a good release, a decent one-timer from the half wall on the powerplay, and a keen sense of spacing in the offensive zone. He plays a heady game and uses his closing speed to be a disruptive forechecker, forcing opposing defenders into rushed passes and panicked dump outs. Olausson’s toolkit is well rounded and even if he never develops into a big-time offensive threat, he projects pretty safely as a reliable two-way winger at the NHL level. Nick Richard