Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff posted a list of the 5 greatest one-season Red Wings this afternoon, and I’m a little sentimental, so I’m going to share Duff’s take on a particular defenseman with a hard-to-pronounce name:
Fredrik Olausson (2001-02): Of all the acquisitions made by Detroit to assemble the epic 2001-02 Stanley Cup championship roster, Oluasson’s addition seldom registers. After all, he wasn’t a Hall of Famer like Dominik Hasek, Brett Hull or Luc Robitaille.
He was however, the ideal partner to pair with Nicklas Listrom in Detroit’s top defensive tandem. The 14-season NHL veteran spent the 2000-01 campaign with SC Bern in Switzerland. Olausson signed a free-agent deal with Detroit in May of 2001.
His play that season earned Olausson, 34, a spot on the Swedish Olympic team. He scored two goals during Detroit’s 2002 playoff run. One of them was an overtime winner in Game 3 of the Western Conference final against the Colorado Avalanche.
Following the season, Olausson signed with the Anaheim Ducks.
Continued; Olausson eventually needed a liver transplant after his playing days are over, but he is happy and healthy in Sweden at 54 years of age.
Probably the most underrated OT win in Wings history. Without Olausson’s goal we might’ve never had the legendary game 7 at the Joe.