Oskar Olausson- 2021 NHL Draft Prospect Profile

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Oskar Olausson

2020-21 Team: HV71 J20/ Södertälje SK (Loan)
Date of Birth: November 10, 2002
Place of Birth: Stockholm, Swe.
Ht: 6-foot-1 Wt: 181 lbs
Shoots: L
Position: LW/RW
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2021 first-year eligible

Rankings

Oskar Olausson is one of those players that oozes great skill and a powerful shot. He was dominant at the J20 level and then made the jump to the SHL and the Hockey Allsvenskan in Sweden. On the surface he has all the tools that make him a first-round pick. However, there are aspects to his game where he definitely could refine his skillset.

Related: 2021 NHL Draft Guide

Olausson’s speed and mobility makes him a real threat at both ends of the ice. He has the ability to enter zones cleanly with control of the puck on his stick and difficult to contain on the cycle. He’s very fluid with his movements and when he’s on the attack, defenders begin to panic as he roars towards them upon entering the zone. He’s always in motion trying to find the open areas of the ice. 

Oskar Olausson Sweden
Oskar Olausson, Sweden, 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship (Photo by Codie McLachlan/Getty Images)

He’s quick in transition and joining in to help out defensively on the back check, having that two-way mentality. He’s able to close in quickly on the opposition and does a good job to force turnovers. He has a great shot and a quick release that allows him to be a threat from all areas at even strength and on the power play.  

While those are some positives to his game, he also comes with some question marks. He has a tough time finding consistency and gives a different result each shift. There are times where he’s passive when pressuring the puck carrier and battling for the puck. Derek Neumeier from FC Hockey points out that his hockey sense and awareness is an area that needs improvement, as he tends to lose sight of his assignments at times. He does tend to relax in terms of his puck pursuit around the ice quite a bit and doesn’t utilize his frame as much as he should. A player with his size and speed can be a difference maker if he’s a constant driving force. 

The skillset is there to make the right play. If he can find that consistency and learn to be more aggressive on the puck carrier, he can definitely be a very versatile forward with good two-way upside. 

Other THW Draft Profiles

Oskar Olausson- NHL Draft Projection

Olausson is pretty much all over the place in many rankings. Some have him as a top-15 or top-20 and others have him in the 20 to 30 range. While I have him ranked 16thon my latest rankings, he could fall to the 20’s based on more viewings and seeing those inconsistencies. He could definitely benefit any team as a mid first-round pick in this year’s draft.

Quotables

“After a stint with HV71, Olausson has taken advantage of his increased ice time on his loan. The clearest strength of Olausson’s game is his mobility. He weaves through the opposition with ease and his feet are always moving. This has made him a useful asset on both the power play and penalty kill. Outside of skating, he has a fairly even skillset and a visible work ethic. The biggest gap for Olausson to address is his utilization of teammates as pass options. As he gains more professional games under his belt, he should hopefully grow out of this self-reliance.”- Alexa Potack, Dobber Prospects

“Some have slotted Olausson in the ‘complimentary winger’ category, or questioned his hockey IQ. While he can be guilty of holding onto a puck for too long, and he is certainly a shoot first player who needs a play-making center to be at his best, I think it is unfair to pigeon-hole him like that. His zone entry skill, ability on the cycle, and solid passing mean that he can create space for others. He also has the scorer’s knack of getting free in dangerous positions, and does it with regularity. That is hard to do that without thinking the game well.”- Alexander Appleyard, SMAHT Scouting  

“Very confident with his skill. Excellent puck skills. Very agile and quick, his mind works fast to take advantage of opportunities. He adds an exciting flair with his play.”- Craig Button, TSN

Strengths 

  • Quick hands
  • Great speed
  • Offensive vision
  • Strong shot

Under Construction- Improvements to Make

  • Consistency on both sides of the pick
  • Work on positioning

NHL Potential

With his shot and speed, Olausson does have the potential to be a serviceable top-six forward. He could be a major factor in a second line role. Add in his ability to play on the power play and on the penalty kill makes him a valuable asset. If he continues to round out his game and still be an offensive threat, there’s no doubt that he can be a major difference maker. 

Risk- Reward Analysis

Risk- 2.5/5, Reward 4/5

Fantasy Hockey Potential

Offense- 7.5/10, Defense 6.5/10

Awards/ Achievements

Olausson has represented Sweden at both the U17 and U18 levels. He won a bronze medal for Sweden at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup in 2019. He also recently played in the 2021 World Junior Hockey Championship where Sweden placed fifth.

Olausson Shift by shift vs Tingsryd AIF

Oskar Olausson’s Statistics

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