After putting up back to back 100 point seasons in the WHL, Oliver turned pro last season. There were high expectations for “The Great Dane” and so it was a bit of a surprise when he was assigned to the AHL just a week into training camp last year. But we know from their time in St. Louis that John Davidson and Jarmo Kekalainen are not afraid to send talent to the minor leagues to percolate and so it was with Lake Erie that Bjorkstrand would start his professional hockey career.
When the Monsters season started, Oliver got off to a bit of a slow start. He picked up two points in his first two games before going silent on the scoreboard until a lower body injury forced him to miss 16 games including all of November. When he returned, Oliver quickly became a constant in the Monsters lineup and picked up 23 points in the next 40 games including nine points in 11 games in February. After that stretch, Oliver was called up to the Jackets and became just the 12th Danish player all time to dress in an NHL game.
In his debut against the Red Wings, Oliver played on a line with Alexander Wennberg and Brandon Dubinsky and had 16:02 of ice time. Next up against New Jersey, Oliver was the star when, just after the Devils tied the game, Oliver gathered his first NHL goal when Wennberg sent a pass in front that John Moore accidentally deflected to Oliver. The then 20-year-old just had to snap the puck past the Devils goaltender. Just over five minutes later, Oliver turned his first goal game into a multi-point game when he gathered a loose puck, skated into the zone and fired for his second of the night sealing the Jacket’s 6-3 win. Oliver set highs for time on ice in the next two games but stayed off the scoresheet before picking up an assist against Carolina. Oliver had no points in his next three games but finished the NHL season with a four game point streak picking up five points including a goal and an assist against Toronto.
With his eight points in 12 games, Oliver is already the ninth highest scoring Dane in the NHL and currently has the highest point per game rate of all 12. While with the Jackets, Bjorkstrand mostly played with Brandon Saad and Alexander Wennberg and it seemed to keep him fired up offensively.
After being sent down to Cleveland when the Columbus season concluded, Oliver was ok picking up four points in five games to give him 17 goals and 12 assists. That point total was good for seventh in scoring and third in goals. Then the playoffs happened and the Great Dane came to life.
Starting off against Rockford, Oliver collected four points in three games (2-2-4 1GWG). Next against Grand Rapids, Oliver notched three points and another game winning goal (2-1-3 1GWG). In the Western Conference Final, Oliver put up three points (1-2-3 1GWG) in the sweep with another game winning goal(sensing a pattern here?). Oliver then was the star in the Calder Cup Finals – leading the way with six points in four games including the game winning goals in games two, three and four.
For the playoffs, Oliver finished third in playoff scoring leading the league in goals and tying a league record for game winning goals in a playoff with six (see told you I was going somewhere). Oliver spent most of the playoffs playing on what should be considered the Monsters top line of Markus Hannikainen and Lukas Sedlak.
Future Outlook
Oliver is among the group of top prospects getting a look in camp for the few roster spots that seem open for the Jackets, and judging by the 21:57 of ice time (7:43 on the power play) against St Louis and 19:08 against Boston, Oliver is getting a long look. Oliver can play a top nine role but will do the most damage in the top six.
Oliver should make the Jackets out of camp and see time on the power play. There really isn’t any scenario barring injury (knock wood, throw salt over shoulder, play Chicago backwards) that sends Oliver to Cleveland but the CBJ do have 11 forwards with one way contracts (yes, I included the currently injured David Clarkson I don’t know why I did but I did).
Due to being from a smaller country Oliver is already an experienced International player playing in the World Juniors, World Championships and Olympic Qualifying for Denmark and that should continue if he’s available.
Age: 21 (04/10/1995)
Position: Right Wing
Shoots: Right
Height/Weight: 6’0″, 176lbs
2015/16 Team: Lake Erie Monsters(AHL)/Columbus Blue Jackets (NHL)
Likely 2016/17 Destination: 70/30 Columbus Blue Jackets.
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