The Dallas Stars have dealt the rights to pending unrestricted free agent forward Fredrik Olofsson to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for future considerations, the team announced today. The Avalanche then immediately announced a one-year extension for Olofsson, with CapFriendly reporting a two-way deal worth $775,000 in the NHL and $300,000 in the AHL with $350,000 guaranteed.
Olofsson’s 2022-23 campaign was his first in North America after he signed with Dallas as a free agent. He wasn’t undrafted, though – the Chicago Blackhawks selected him with the 98th overall pick in 2014 but never signed him to an entry-level contract.
He showed flashes of solid fundamentals at points with the Stars but never made much of an impact at the scoresheet, even at the AHL level, where he recorded 14 points in 37 games with the Texas Stars. That low production was likely influenced by an extreme lack of stability, however. Olofsson was one of Dallas’ top call-up options throughout the year and was sent up and down more than 20 times, given he didn’t need to clear waivers to head up and down between leagues. After one season under contract, though, he will now require waivers if Colorado wants to send him to the AHL Eagles.
Olofsson, 27, is a marginal but much-needed depth add for the Avalanche, whose bottom six looks absolutely barren right now with many veterans on expiring deals. Depth scoring was easily the team’s biggest weakness last season, and they’ll likely need a by-committee approach to fix it in 2023-24. Olofsson will likely come in as a cost-effective option with more NHL (and professional experience) than others looking for NHL time in the organization.