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ValorX77 · 08-10-2024, 04:27 PM

Playoff Olof is a quite simple nickname. But how did Olof Karsikko earn that nickname, and how good in the playoffs was he? His story begins at the S59 SMJHL Draft where in the third round and with the 29th overall selection, the Vancouver Whalers took a chance on this young goalie prospect. This will only take a look at the playoffs side of his career, starting with his 3 seasons with Vancouver, and then we will focus on his years in Los Angeles and New England.

Vancouver years:

Season Team GP MP W L OTL SHA SAV GA GAA SO SV% GR
61 VAN 14 826 12 2 0 413 379 34 2.47 2 0.918 70
60 VAN 13 777 6 7 0 401 361 40 3.08 0 0.900 67
59 VAN 2 55 0 1 0 45 41 4 4.30 0 0.911 62
Career 29 1658 18 10 0 859 781 78 3.28 2 0.910 66

During his first season, he started as a backup to Jon St. Ark and saw little time, only playing in 2 games and having a 0-1 record as the Whalers were eliminated in the second round. However, he was named to the all-rookie team and nominated for the Esa Anrikkanen and the Cedric Robinson awards for the best rookie and goalie respectively. In S60, Olof became the starting goalie for the Whalers and guided them to the conference finals before getting eliminated in six games. During the playoffs, he struggled a little bit being eight in goals against average (GAA) and goals saved above average (GSAA). S61 was his breakout campaign in the playoffs, leading the J in GAA and second in GSAA only behind Evgeni Petrov. Not to mention that he was a part of the S61 Super Whalers that went on to win the 4 Star Cup that season, and he was the centerpiece of this legendary team, winning the Brodie Witzel award for playoff MVP, and earning his first-team award and his second Cedric Robinson nomination; But his best years were only getting started.

Enter the Playoff God:

Season Team GP MP W L OTL SHA SAV GA GAA SO SV% GR
77 NEW 25 1537 16 9 0 1033 943 90 3.51 0 0.913 84
76 NEW 7 326 2 3 0 231 204 27 4.97 0 0.883 68
75 NEW 23 1390 12 11 0 927 838 89 3.84 1 0.904 78
74 NEW 24 1402 16 6 2 830 758 72 3.08 1 0.913 80
73 NEW 17 1025 10 7 0 570 521 49 2.87 1 0.914 77
72 NEW 21 1276 13 7 1 801 728 73 3.43 1 0.909 80
71 NEW 9 537 4 5 0 277 252 25 2.79 0 0.910 77
70 NEW 28 1731 16 10 2 1089 997 92 3.19 2 0.916 83
69 NEW 14 841 8 5 1 492 444 48 3.42 0 0.902 76
68 NEW 5 298 1 4 0 206 189 17 3.42 0 0.917 85
67 LAP 6 358 2 4 0 175 150 25 4.18 1 0.857 58
66 LAP 9 547 4 5 0 235 212 23 2.52 0 0.902 68
65 LAP 20 1198 16 4 0 603 565 38 1.90 3 0.937 82
64 LAP 12 758 6 4 2 344 319 25 1.98 0 0.927 76
63 LAP 22 1416 14 8 0 706 658 48 2.03 4 0.932 80
62 LAP 17 1045 10 5 2 524 484 40 2.30 3 0.924 75
Career 259 15685 150 97 10 9043 8262 781 3.09 17 0.910 77

It's safe to say that Olof earned the playoff nickname, He was nominated for the Anton Razov Award 5 times, winning it three times, and reached the finals 7 times, winning 4 of them once with the Los Angeles Panthers in S65, and three of them with the New England Wolfpack in S70, S74, and S77. His run in S77 might go down as the most insane run yet, despite leading the playoffs in goals allowed, he was second in GAA and led GSAA by a country mile at 26.04, the next closest goalie was Tampa Bay's Tibuk Soonika at 7.59. He was also nominated for the John McBride award 4 times, winning it in S73, the same season where he allowed the fewest goals in the league.

I hope that I get to make your Hall of Fame banner soon because you earned it, and I'm glad that I got to be on the S61 Whalers with you.
(808 words)

chetib · 08-16-2024, 01:53 PM

Approved @ValorX77 @CptSquall

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