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Oskar Olausson dressed for the juncture successful a achromatic collared garment with achromatic slacks erstwhile his beingness changed forever.
Olausson — the Colorado Avalanche’s archetypal wide prime successful the NHL Draft astatine No. 28 — watched it hap unrecorded connected tv Friday nighttime portion surrounded by teammates successful Plymouth, Mich. The 18-year-old winger is simply a subordinate of Sweden’s U20 nationalist squad that is preparing to play this week astatine the 2021 World Juniors Summer Showcase.
Sweden’s squad manager, Linus Hugosson, posted a video of Olausson’s reaction erstwhile Avalanche GM Joe Sakic called his name. The country erupted with clapping arsenic Olausson is bear-hugged by a enactment of arrogant teammates. Someone tossed him an Avs draught hat.
Olausson enactment it connected with a large smile.
“We acceptable up a small draught viewing party,” Hugosson told The Denver Post. “Most of the guys connected the squad were there. … They were truly blessed for him. It was amusive to spot their reaction, too.”
Så här såg det ut när Oskar Olausson draftades av Colorado Avalanche. #nhlse #twittpuck pic.twitter.com/ftBXbUXfLF
— Linus Hugosson (@linushugosson) July 24, 2021
Avalanche fans are conscionable being introduced to their latest first-round pick.
However, backmost successful Sweden, the Olausson hype has been astir for rather immoderate time.
“I’m precise bully and unsafe successful the violative zone,” Olausson said.
His estimation arsenic an elite multi-tool guardant was bolstered during juniors play past play with HV71. Olausson scored 27 points (14 goals) successful conscionable 16 games. That earned him a Sweden nonrecreational declaration and invitation to play connected its IIHF World Junior Championship team. Olausson was 1 of the youngest members. He said: “Playing with men is simply a bully step.”
But it didn’t pb to instant production. Olausson was held without a constituent successful 4 games. The United States claimed the world’s inferior title and Sweden placed fifth.
Olausson aboriginal played for 2 Sweden nonrecreational leagues with a humble 10 points (six goals) successful 27 games. Yet NHL scouts were inactive enamored with his speed, skills, and left-hand shot. Olausson was projected by astatine slightest 1 mock draught to beryllium picked 13th overall. The Avs were thrilled erstwhile helium dropped to No. 28.
“We bash a batch of inheritance checks,” Colorado manager of amateur scouting Wade Klippenstein said. “We speech to coaches and we speech to teammates. We person truly bully scouts successful that country that are dialed into the civilization of what happens successful Sweden with hockey. We were precise assured we were getting a bully hockey subordinate and a large young antheral that wants to get better.”
Olausson’s existent absorption is preparing his nationalist squad for the 2022 satellite inferior championships. He besides plans to stay successful Sweden to play professionally adjacent play earlier embarking connected his NHL career.
“We’re counting connected him to beryllium a productive guardant for america this play with the satellite juniors coming up,” Hugosson said. “He’s a large portion of our team. I can’t talk for each the fans backmost location successful Sweden. But I deliberation the expectations are precocious for him backmost home. Especially present that helium was drafted successful the archetypal round.
“He’s a imaginable big-star.”
English (US) ·