‘He’s been outstanding’: Knights forward hasn’t missed a beat since return

The puck went to Victor Olofsson’s direction, and all of T-Mobile Arena knew what was coming. Skating to the right faceoff dot, of course he was going to shoot it.

Said shot would come blistering off his stick. Olofsson fanned this one, and the puck gently rolled toward the low slot where Ivan Barbashev was waiting for an easy tap-in.

Exactly how they drew it up?

“I don’t care what anybody else says,” said Barbashev, whose team plays host to the Nashville Predators on Friday. “He was passing.”

That might be more credit than Olofsson is ready to receive.

“I fanned on that pretty good and it ended up being a perfect pass,” Olofsson joked. “I wish I could have said it was a pass.”

Exactly how they drew it up. https://t.co/2g9WixNOcG

— Danny Webster (@DannyWebster21) November 12, 2026

Back like he never left

Olofsson hasn’t missed a beat since returning to the Vegas Golden Knights lineup after missing a month with an upper-body injury. That was clear Wednesday with a goal and two assists in the Knights’ 5-3 win over the Utah Mammoth.

The 31-year-old has nine points through seven games. Four of those points have come since returning to the lineup Thursday in Detroit.

Olofsson, who opened the season with four goals in his first four games, said he’s getting “better and better.”

“I think it’s been a little rusty, but it feels like I’m getting there,” Olofsson said. “I feel more confident and my legs feel a little bit better now after a few games. Hopefully it will be even better.”

There’s no way to describe the dejection in the Knights’ locker room when Olofsson went down in the third period Oct. 6 in Seattle. Having already scored two goals, Olofsson was cross-checked from behind by Kraken forward Ben Meyers and went hard into the boards.

Some players were gutted, knowing that it was deja vu from Olofsson’s first run with the Knights two seasons ago.

He got off to a fast start with three goals in four games, only to suffer a lower-body injury that forced him to miss a month-and-a-half.

Olofsson thought there was no ill-will on the hit, but he had that “here we go again” feeling.

Since coming back, he hasn’t missed a beat.

“He’s been outstanding,” Barbashev said. “Even in the first three games he scored a lot of good goals, big goals. It’s tough to see when players get injured. He took care of himself for three, four weeks and got back, and it looks like he didn’t miss anything.”

New line cooking

Olofsson and Barbashev scored the Knights’ three goals in the second period to continue a strong run for the newly-created third line.

Center Tomas Hertl scored twice Sunday against Buffalo. Barbashev had two assists and was a plus-3. Olofsson was a plus-1 but was held off the score sheet for the first time all season.

Coach Ryan Craig said what’s impressed him about Olofsson is what endeared him his first time here — his details of the game and the little plays he makes that go a long way during the game.

“He’s been good on the wall, he’s been good in a lot of situations checking and defending,” Craig said. “And he’s a guy that’s a threat when he gets the puck and can make the right play.”

That was evident on his power-play goal that gave the Knights a 2-1 lead in the second period. The puck took a fortunate bounce to him as he came in through the neutral zone, but Olofsson’s quick release zoomed by Utah goaltender Sebastian Cossa.

Craig credited the line’s forechecking and playing a direct game as to why they’re having success. Olofsson said it helps to have two players like Barbashev and Hertl that like to hold on to the puck.

“I try to find open space and they’re really good passers, both of them,” Olofsson said. “(They’re) strong on the puck and can protect it well. I just try to find that open ice.”

Contact Danny Webster at [email protected]. Follow @DannyWebster21 on X.

Up next

Who: Predators at Golden Knights

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Where: T-Mobile Arena

TV: KMCC-TV (Channel 34)

Radio: KVGS 107.9 FM/KOAS 105.7 FM (Spanish)