Victor Olofsson
Olofsson is yet another player I am glad to see return to a blue and gold uniform. His career with the Buffalo Sabres has not been stellar, but it also hasn’t been bad. A former First Team member of the NHL All-Rookie Team, Olofsson is one of the Sabres most dangerous players on the power play. So much that it was practically his niche until late in 2021-22.
He was so effective that over half his goals came on the power play, but that changed when he knocked down 13 of 20 at even strength last season. If Olofsson regresses at even strength, his value remains high with the Sabres organization because of his ability to score on the power play, and if he performs in the role well enough, it may just keep him around for a while.
But after his stellar February to April stint, Olofsson has also shown he can be much more than a niche player. It is going to be fun to see if he can continue to evolve as a player, and it is why he sits at #3 on the list.
While the Buffalo Sabres have plenty of niche players to get excited over, these three have caught my eye more than any other heading into 2022-23. And as the season wears on, you will surely spot a few more, some who may even overtake Cozens, Asplund, and Olofsson as far as intrigue goes.
(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)