Olofsson ranks second on the Sabres with 10 points through 10 games and sixth in the NHL with eight points on the power play. His 16 power-play goals since making his NHL debut on March 28, 2019 rank third in the league behind only Leon Draisaitl and David Pastrnak.
This season, however, Olofsson has added another dimension to his always lethal shot. He has five power-play assists, just one shy of his season total from 2019-20. Four of those are primary assists, good for fourth in the league.
The Buffalo power play ranks seventh in the NHL with a 30.8-percent success rate, a testament to added depth on the second unit and increased mobility on the first. No player better exemplifies that than Olofsson, who has been seen dishing assists from his usual home in the right faceoff circle but also from the slot and low around the net.
"We are pushing for that and we believe that falls in line with the creativity that they actually desire and the skill that they have is suited for that," Sabres assistant coach Don Granato said last week. "It's suited for multiple positions and movements. So, they've embraced it. And you see guys scoring in non-traditional spots.
"…That's something that certainly excites us as coaches to see that and to see them open to expanding options. Again, we wouldn't be able to push for that if they didn't have not only the skill, but the creative capacity. Really, that's what you're seeing. It's them willing to improvise within the uniqueness of situations."
The numbers indicate that Olofsson has done his share at 5-on-5 as well despite the production having not yet followed. The Sabres own a positive share of scoring chances (54.3 percent) and high-danger attempts (56.8 percent) with Olofsson on the ice at 5-on-5, according to Natural Stat Trick.
