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Checking in with top Avs prospects ahead of rookie camp
The re-scheduled 2022 World Junior Ice Hockey Championship concluded with a gold medal 3-2 OT win for Team Canada over Team Finland. It was an unsurprising result for Canada after a dominant showing throughout the tournament complete with a lethal high-octane offense led by Anaheim Ducks prospect Mason McTavish (8 Goals, 9 Assists) and strong goaltending.
Hockey in August offered a welcome glimpse at NHL hopefuls, but naturally, there was a keen interest in the individual performances of Colorado Avalanche prospects: defenseman Sean Behrens (USA) and left-wing Oskar Olausson (Sweden).
19-year-old Behrens was previewed on the top pairing in the pre-tournament games – though it was understood Luke Hughes and Brock Faber were a true lock for that role come Game 1. Even still, Behrens was scratched for the United State’s tournament opener against Germany. They claimed a 5-1 victory and Behrens would get his chance in Game 2 against the Swiss.
He rotated in at the 7th man on his off side often alongside Wyatt Kaiser on the 2nd pairing. Additionally, Behrens received looks on both special teams, so his value should not be understated. The limited usage can be reconciled by the extended opportunity the 2003-born player will get again in December for the 2023 WJC’s. Late in the first period, 6’4″ Swiss player Fabian Ritzmann caught him awkwardly in a hit and Behrens went down the tunnel.
He returned for the rest of the game, but did not practice the next day and would not appear in the tournament again. It was described as a non-serious, day to day situation. USA would fall 2-4 to Czechia in a quarterfinals upset.
Still in the tournament remained a competitive Team Sweden – host to the best goaltending of the competition from Minnesota Wild prospect, Jesper Wallstedt (0.939 SV%) and an effective powerplay and penalty kill rated 2nd and 1st respectively. On the top powerplay unit was second-line winger, Oskar Olausson.
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The 28th overall pick entered the tournament with a prime opportunity to compete among his peer group one last time before he makes the full-time jump to the pro’s next season. Olausson’s role for Team Sweden is not to be understated as well.
Sweden had a solid showing in the preliminary round. In Game 2, Olausson’s offensive game really began to click and he registered three assists – two primary assists and one of which came about on the powerplay. Sweden dropped their only game of the preliminary round to Team USA in Game 3.
It was a game that revealed some of the weak sides of Sweden’s team game. USA was relentless on the forecheck and wore Sweden down in their own end. Players looked shy to engage out of fear of costly turnovers. Olausson was caught puck watching at points with a reluctance to make decisions away from the puck, but this appeared true of many players for Sweden. USA was running them ragged, and Sweden was challenged by some of the toughest hockey they had faced so far.
In Game 1 and at other points in the tournament, Olausson did engage in those battles more fearlessly and got to the dangerous areas of the ice. Such is the present dilemma that faces Olausson – a duality which shows promise of a player who can take it to the next level with moments where that effort falls just a bit short. When he’s on, he a strong puck carrier who doesn’t seem fazed by increased responsibility.
You have to like the effort he put in along the boards in this goal scored by teammate Simon Edvinsson – he maintained possession and found his guy under no duress to make it possible.
He held an important role for Sweden on PP1 and would earn a secondary assist on the powerplay goal that brought the USA game within one goal. He had the 2nd most time on ice of any forward and was brought on as the extra skater in the final minutes playing on his off wing – an area he’s equally comfortable with.
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In Game 4, he would finally get one of his own on the powerplay with that high-end shot on full display.
Director of Player Development, Brian Willsie has maintained constant contact with Olausson during this past year. Willsie is based in the OHL, so he was able to track his year closely. He credited Olausson for his transition to North American ice, describing it as a one to two-month process.
“Oskar had a great development year,” he said. “Coming into the Eagles at the end of the year, that was a great spot for him. He learned a ton. Such a smooth skater, really handsy with the puck and smart. In the OHL, he can go on the puck for 20-30 seconds at a time and find that open player. He’s lethal on the powerplay – playing on his offside with the one-timer. We hope to see that for Team Sweden at World Juniors and then we’re excited to have him here for rookie camp.”
Team Sweden would win bronze in the tournament with a final victory 3-1 over Czechia. Olausson finished with 5 points in 7 games. It’s a limited glimpse ahead of what will be his first, full professional season.
Olausson will report to San Jose to for the Rookie Face-Off tournament. Starting on September 16th, the San Jose Sharks will host four teams from the Pacific Division (Anaheim, Los Angeles, San Jose and Vegas) and two from the Central Division (Arizona and Colorado) in a series of games to showcase the prospects.
You can expect to see him there along with Sampo Ranta, Ben Meyers, and more. The buzz surrounding Olausson is not unrighteous – he had a fine WJC after all. The tools he teases can make him a versatile option for a future Avs forward group, but expectations have to be tampered accordingly and it rests largely on his upcoming season. He’s still a bit raw.
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With AHL scoring leaders Dylan Sikura and Kiefer Sherwood departing the wings of the Colorado Eagles, an Oskar Olausson-sized opportunity presents itself even if skirted a bit down the lineup with room for promotion as the season unfolds. He’ll have a chance to claim it and put to rest any fears about prospects and chances.
The biggest area that Olausson can close in on the gap that keeps him from taking his game to the next level is consistency. The Avs play with a particular pace and if he can maintain the energy they seek, he will make a strong case for himself. It will come with reps in the AHL playing among men who are bigger, faster, and stronger from what he’s known. The work is still there for him to put in.
Don’t count on an NHL debut, but don’t write it off either. After 22-year-old left-wing Sampo Ranta began the NHL season up with the Colorado Avalanche through 10 games, anything is possible through camp and happenstance. I wouldn’t expect Olausson to be the first in line for a call-up ahead of someone like Mikhail Maltsev or Charles Hudon, but hopefully he’ll impress enough to earn a place in that queue.
Ben Meyers
Meyers has stayed in game-ready form this offseason. You may recall the 23-year-old forward from his debut through 5 NHL games with the Avalanche at the end of the regular season. He represented Team USA in the World Championship in May and attended Colorado’s development camp in July where his skill level was a cut above the rest. He went on to train with a pro group out of the University of Minnesota and will get an extended look in the rookie tournament this week. A versatile forward who can play center and wing, Meyers has been a lock for a full-time role with the Avs to start next season. Because of his ability to quickly assimilate with the Avs, the tournament will grant him a head start before the main camp.
Justus Annunen
Justus Annunen, who played his first full season in the AHL this last year, made important strides forward. The 22-year-old had milestone moments and setbacks. He was the starting goaltender for the Eagles this past season with a 0.893 SV% through the regular season after his role was shared with Hunter Miska during a challenging month in March. He made his NHL debut on December 6th and simultaneously notched his first NHL win.
As a Black Ace in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, he also benefitted from the guidance of Avs goaltending coach Jussi Parkkila throughout points this season in addition to the counsel of Peter Budaj. In the Calder Cup Playoffs, Annunen rose to the occasion and carried the Eagles to the third round with a 0.923 SV%. It was a thrilling head-to-head against outstanding AHL goaltender of the year, Dustin Wolf.
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There have been some changes to depth goaltending this summer: Hunter Miska and Peyton Jones moved on from the organization and the Avs brought back Jonas Johansson on a 1-year, 2-way deal. Trent Miner, who posted a 0.910 with the Utah Grizzlies last season, also remains and will play in the tournament as well. As a result, Annunen will have to solidify his role as starter for the Eagles and the tournament will be an important starting point.
Sampo Ranta
Perhaps the prospect with the most to prove is 22-year-old left-wing Sampo Ranta. The third-round pick played 10 games to start last season with the Avalanche, but he didn’t produce and returned to Loveland hopeful to work on the details of his game. At points, he was described as a 3rd or 4th line NHL’er and a prized prospect, but his utilization in the AHL was extremely varied playing on the third and fourth lines last year.
Ranta missed just over two months to recover from a foot injury at the end of the season and returned in the middle of the playoffs. He played 5 of 9 games and was unable to generate anything offensively. To his credit, very few were able to against Stockton and he had only just returned for the Ontario series after missing the first round against Henderson.
He produced 14 points in 38 games during the regular season. He played with energy, engaged in battles, and didn’t often lose them. He’s willing to do the blue-collar things and it can reward him, but it’s his playmaking and puck management that struggled to string together offense. Now he has a chance to take the necessary leap of a 2nd-year pro if he’s to separate himself from the other prospects. At his best he profiles as an NHL bottom-6 power forward. Though the path to an NHL role is made harder on a defending title team, it could be a blessing in disguise if Ranta’s focus is maximizing his development at the AHL level for another year – a means to right some wrongs from the shortcomings of last season.
There are more prospects to watch in the tournament, so keep an eye out for the second half of the rookie tournament preview later this week. In the meantime, you can learn more about another invitee: Colorado Eagles hopeful, Cam Wright.
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