2026 NHL Draft profile: Niklas Aaram-Olsen

Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - In the days leading up to the 2026 NHL Draft in Buffalo, WGR will provide profiles on some players that could be available for the Sabres with the 27th overall pick in the first round.

Over the years, Norway has started to become a rising hockey nation, producing more-and-more stellar prospects with huge upside. The next up-and-coming name out of Norway that could land himself as a first-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft is Niklas Aaram-Olsen.

After dominating in Norway's junior ranks as a young teenager, Aaram-Olsen was able to further his development further in Sweden, joining Örebro HK's junior program as a 15-year-old. After playing with the program's U16 and J18 programs, Aaram-Olsen managed to earn a spot with the J20 Nationell team as a 16-year-old, and made an immediate impact with 23 goals and 18 assists for 41 points in 42 junior games.

This season saw Aaram-Olsen take his game to the next level, not only producing 40 points (20+20) in 29 games with the J20 team, he got the call from the parent club, joining Örebro HK in the Swedish Hockey League for 16 games. Despite putting up no points and playing extremely limited minutes, the experience gained from that time can go a long way for a young player like Aaram-Olsen.

In addition to his play in Sweden, Aaram-Olsen has played a significant role at the international level with his home nation of Norway.

In three years playing with Norway at the IIHF U18 World Championship, Aaram-Olsen has accounted for nine goals and three assists for 12 points in 15 games played.

Perhaps his biggest contribution, to date, has been helping Norway get back to the top division of the IIHF World Junior Championship, which he did this past December with a gold medal win in Division I-A. There he scored the most goals in the tournament with six, and added four assists for 10 points in five games.

At the NHL Scouting Combine, he revealed he was one of the final cuts made for the Norwegian team that ended up winning bronze at the 2026 IIHF World Championship in Switzerland, the first medal for any international competition in the nation's history.

While Aaram-Olsen may not be the biggest forward at 6-foot-1 and 187 pounds, the winger is one of the hardest-working and physically gifted prospects available in the earlier portions of the 2026 NHL Draft.

Aaram-Olsen was one of the top overall testers during the NHL Combine, finishing in the top-10 of several categories. He led the way in the horizontal jump (118 inches), was tied for the best pro agility time (4.2 seconds), and tested very well in the 10-meter sprint, anaerobic fitness, and bench press power. While those tests may not matter too much when it comes to on-ice play, it does show the physical capabilities and durability of a prospect, and Aaram-Olsen thrived.

Where it all comes together for Aaram-Olsen on the ice is his speed and drive to take pucks to the net as a power forward. He's got great power to his stride, and can glide and turn well on his edges to adjust to a rush of a play in the offensive zone or in transition. He's also capable of using his acceleration to take off on a rush, or even get back into his own end when play breaks down the other way.

The Oslo native definitely has more so a knack for goal scoring, and has quite the arsenal to put the puck in the back of the net. He can beat goalies with a quick and snappy wrist shot, or a crisp and power slap shot or one-timer from the off wing. He can also score from down low or in-tight on the goaltender, or find the back of the net more from distance.

His lower-body strength really helps him not only stay strong on his feet to protect pucks as he gets to the net, but also get into shots to generate power.

And while Aaram-Olsen is more known for his goal scoring, he can use his deceptiveness as a shooter and make some nice passes to set up scoring chances for his teammates.

Without the puck, Aaram-Olsen is hard on the forecheck, and is constantly scanning the ice around him to either be responsible in his own end, get into position to break out into transition, or find open ice to unleash his shot.

The big question for Aaram-Olsen will be how well his game continues to progress as the competition gets harder-and-harder. While he certainly possesses the drive and physicality to withstand a tougher game in the SHL and, eventually, North America, will the offense carry over with him? And can he become a more well-rounded player from level-to-level to make him an even more dangerous player?

Whatever team takes a swing at Aaram-Olsen is going to get a player that will do everything in his power to prove any doubter wrong, and be the next skilled power forward at the top level.