Round 3 pick 79 – F Sondre Olden
With the 79th overall pick in the 2010 NHL entry draft, the Toronto Maple Leafs selected winger Sondre Olden out of Sweden.
Olden was yet another excellent producer heading into the draft. the Norwegian forward scored an unbelievable 26 points in 8 games with MODO Hockey’s under-18 Elit program, then 13 points in 16 games with the under-18 Allsvenskan program, and 27 points in 32 games in the under-20 SuperElit program (56 PTS/46 GP w/ MODO).
This insane production was due in large part to Olden’s impressive play-style, which is highlighted in this bio from the Elite Prospects team
"“[Olden is a] lanky and offensively skilled forward with surprisingly quick feet. [He] is a creative player with good hockey sense and strong technical skills. [He is a] pretty productive player [that thrives on the powerplay], but will also contribute defensively. [However, he is also inconsistent].”"
Olden seemed like a legitimate prospect with lots of upside, and is reminiscent of what, I personally believe, an ideal late-round selection to be.
A speedy forward who is versatile on both ends of the ice who loves to rack up points, who wouldn’t want that?
Honestly, I expected that I would be bashing every pick the Leafs made, but the Sondre Olden pick is a legitimate good selection. Bravo 2010 Leafs Front Office and Scouting department, you did a good!
That being said, Olden didn’t exactly turn out for the Leafs, because he didn’t sign with them, or any North American team for that matter. Olden did give America a shot though, as he played the 2011-12 season for the Erie Otters (captained by Greg McKegg), and was fairly productive with them as well, posting a solid 32 points in 48 games.
Olden understandably preferred playing in Europe, where he’s spent his entire career since his OHL stint.
From 2012-2015, Olden played for Valerenga of his native Norway, where he scored 102 points in 95 games.
On two separate occasions, in 2015 & 2016, Olden got an opportunity to play for Brynas IF of the SHL, where he struggled, scoring a mere 11 points in 57 games with the Swedish club. His third chance in the SHL came with Leksands IF in the 2016-17 season. During his time with the team, the speedy winger struggled to find his game, once again disappointing with just 7 points in 47 games.
Since then, Olden has moved on to the EBEL, where he has picked up his dominant form he showed early in his career. In two seasons, Olden has racked up 95 points in 90 games.
Olden, who is currently 26, is set to play for the Vienna Capitals of the EBEL next season.