This Sabres forward will finally get a fresh start this offseason.
This Sabres forward will finally get a fresh start this offseason.
During the 2023 NHL Offseason, the Buffalo Sabres shopped forward Victor Olofsson, and that carried over to the 2023-24 season. However, due to a poor campaign and his high cap hit, interest in him was minimal at the deadline, and he stayed put.
Yet, Olofsson's time with the Sabres should finally come to an end this offseason. The sniper's two-year, $9.5 million contract has officially expired, and he is eligible to be a UFA this summer because of it. Given how the last year has gone down, it is fair to assume that both the player and the team are ready to move on.
Olofsson, 28, had a rough 2023-24 season. In 51 games, he had just seven goals and 15 points. There was a massive decline in his offensive production, and the primary reason for that was that Olofsson's placement on the Sabres' depth chart dropped significantly. He also received several healthy scratches throughout the season.
While this season was a year to forget for Oloffson, he could generate some interest in free agency. He has hit the 20-goal and 40-point marks three times in his NHL career, with the 2022-23 season being the most recent (28 goals and 40 points in 78 games). Due to this, it would not be too shocking if an NHL club offered him a cheap one-year prove-it deal or PTO.
Nevertheless, no matter what happens with Olofsson from here, it's far more likely than not that he has played his final game in Buffalo.
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