đź“ť by Miranda Crisp | AHL On The Beat
Oskar Olausson, the 28th overall pick in the 2021 National Hockey League Draft, is one of the newest Colorado Eagles, signed by the Colorado Avalanche to a three-year entry-level contract last August.
Being the youngest member of the team at only 20 years of age, the dynamic forward has proven his strength on the ice with his speed and mobility across the rink, racking up 16 points with the Eagles in his first 34 games played.
Olausson started his professional hockey journey in 2015, playing in the Swedish junior leagues. According to the left wing, it was then, at “around 15 or 16 years old,” that he began to see hockey as a career rather than a sport. Olausson earned 47 points in 48 games in Sweden’s under-20 Nationell and reached the Swedish Hockey League in 2020-21, playing 16 games for HV71 Jonkoping.
After being drafted by the Avalanche, Olausson split the 2021-22 season between the Barrie Colts and the Oshawa Generals in the Ontario Hockey League, collecting 49 points between the two before joining Colorado in the Calder Cup Playoffs.
Since training under Greg Cronin, who is currently in his fifth year as head coach for the Eagles, Olausson says while he wants to improve in all areas on the rink, he’s focusing on getting stronger in his defensive play, both with and without the puck.
To do so, he works daily on his physical and mental strength to improve every game and conquer new challenges: “Come into the rink each day with purpose,” Olausson says.
Many young adults can relate to Olausson, moving far away in pursuit of their dreams, but this rookie has sacrificed the ability to see his family in his 4,863-mile move across the pond from Stockholm, Sweden. With the change in culture, Olausson says he has found camaraderie in the team, especially from the “Swedes and the Finnish guys” who have helped him adjust and feel more at home in the States.
“It’s different for sure, but it’s been great,” said Olausson. “I love the crowd and the players here; the guys have helped me transition a lot and Cronin is hard on me and really pushes me.”
Olausson hasn’t allowed the new atmosphere to affect him though. Since the beginning of the season, he’s added nine goals and seven assists to his resume, as well as being called up to the Colorado Avalanche for one game in November.
Moving forward into the season, Oskar Olausson’s goal is simple: “Keep getting better every day.”
