"I knew what I wanted to do when I was 12 years old. Having walked in that building for 16 straight years, under some real emotional time, not only franchise-wise but also personally, spent a lot of my life there, so Im sure the time to reminisce and be able to really kind of sit back. Midway through a radio broadcast last January, Nick made an emergency TV debut filling in for his dad, who was taken to a hospital with what turned out to be a minor illness. My family and I appreciate privacy during this time as we focus our attention on my treatments.". "I've always tied it somehow. Pat Foley (born 1954) is an American retired play-by-play commentator for ice hockey . You think of Kane and Toews on the ice and Pat and Eddie in the booth. NHL trade deadline: Winners and losers, including the Bruins, Devils and Bruce Boudreau? As a fan, he made watching and listening to that much more of a treat as a result. Olczyk was pleased the Blackhawks replaced him with Murray and Patrick Sharp, two people he has known and respected for many years. Who Is Kimmi Chex? Despite ample legal trouble, Sizemore had steady film and television credits. As time passed and Olczyk hadnt signed a new contract with the Blackhawks, there was the growing possibility he could become a free agent. But if youre Olczyk, do you really want to do that?Just like with Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews. His older fans followed him from his days in National Hockey League while his younger fans . The Hawks and Olczyk reached a verbal agreement to create another contract before then. He is one of us, a Blackhawks fan. With his adoptive family, the Touhys, and other influential . All rights reserved. Ricky looked up to his older brother throughout Eddie's hockey ascension and began dedicating himself to the sport as well. The couple has four children namely Nick, Tom, Rick, and a daughter called Zandra. We just could not come to terms on a contract, and I have stepped away, Eddie Olczyk told the Sun-Times on Monday. Eddie preserved the puck from the game he played that day and wrote Diana O. on it. "I think both sides certainly expected to get a contract done.". (AP Photo/LM Otero, File . On December 30, 2010, it was announced that Foley and Olczyk signed a three-year extension to stay with the Blackhawks. An avid enthusiast of thoroughbred horse racing, Eddie Olczyk also served as guest commentator at major horse racing events for NBC Sports. We did because I have a lot of respect for Danny (Wirtz) and Jaime (Faulkner), and I also know Jamie Spencer in the organization, Kraken CEO Tod Leiweke said. So, its going to be fun.. In any case, we are obscure to the character of his folks. So to be around him more, I know my mom is smiling, which makes us all feel pretty good.. Is Najee Harris Related to Pittsburgh Steelers Legend, Franco Harris? He is a class act. Olczyk was also the head coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins from June 2003 to . Once Eddie showed promise in hockey, he began to have more opportunities to play against better competition, which meant having to send him around the United States and into Canada. According to multiple media reports, Eddie Olczyk is leaving his role as the color analyst for NBC Sports Chicago's broadcasts of Blackhawks games. He finished his career in Chicago. Eddie's youngest son, Nick, 19, plays for the South Shore Kings of the U.S. Premier Hockey League and will play at Colorado College beginning next season. Olczyk was a member of the 1984 U.S. Olympic hockey team and was a No. (Photo courtesty of NBC Sports) Eddie Olczyk played five seasons with the New York Rangers and was part of their Stanley Cup championship team in 1994. He was teammates with Eddie and now works with Ricky, and Francis wasn't surprised the brothers each reached the NHL. He grew up watching the Blackhawks on TV and then he was drafted by them in 1984. In 1992, he was traded for the third time in his career, this time to the New York Rangers for Kris King and Tie Domi. Sure, youre getting older, and the glory days might be more behind you than in front of you. Eight months and one day after his final chemotherapy session was finished, Eddie Olczyk stood on a platform stage Monday night, flanked by banner-sized portraits of Bobby Hull and Gordie Howe.. I'm proud as heck. Im sure Sharpie will probably have it taped off and let me know theres a password to get in there.. His own brush with mortality isnt something new Kraken television voice Eddie Olczyk takes lightly; a well-chronicled bout with Stage 3 colon cancer not too long ago he wasnt certain hed survive. Where Is Bryan Penn-Johnson from Last Chance U Season 2 Now? Olczyk wont return to the Hawks next season, another domino that has fallen in a lengthy row as the franchise stretches its teardown all the way to the beloved broadcast booth. The Sutter family, theyve been able to work together. He earned a law degree at Cornell, worked for the NHL Players' Association for two years, and spent time in Phoenix and Chicago at consulting and law firms. Follow Scott on Twitter @byscottpowers, Nick Olczyk, John Forslund and Eddie Olczyk are part of the Krakens broadcast team this season. NHL.com is the official web site of the National Hockey League. At the end of the day it is always about money and terms. My plan was to be in Indy for four years, and then I was starting to put feelers out for American League color jobs, said Nick, who was hired, along with Alison Lukan, for a studio analyst role this season. That something new is the Seattle Kraken. He spent 16 years in the National Hockey League, playing for six teams, including the Penguins. He played the last two seasons of his career in Chicago. Next Up In Its not a great look for the organization, especially knowing that retaining him would be necessary for next seasons struggles. . Olczyk was also the head coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins from June 2003 to December 2005. He had 794 points (342 goals, 452 assists) in 1,031 games for the Blackhawks, Pittsburgh Penguins, Los Angeles Kings, Winnipeg Jets, New York Rangers and Toronto Maple Leafs, and was part of the Rangers' 1994 Stanley Cup championship. "It was a decision that I wrestled with for a while," Olczyk said on Unfiltered while talking to Pat Boyle. Unlike Eddie, who was a forward, Ricky's path was as a defenseman. From making the U.S. Olympic Team in 1984 to winning his battle with cancer over three decades later, its incredible how much hes accomplished over his life. It was on a flight with the Chicago Blackhawks, who picked him in 1984 NHL draft, that he met Diana. [11], Rick Olczyk, Eddie's younger brother, is a former hockey player for Brown University and became an assistant general manager for the Kraken in 2019. I think that's a perfect slogan if you can quote our family.". The Blackhawks are undergoing a true rebuild, and Olczyk would have been a credible voice for the fans. His travel is longer. In . He had worked many national games with Forslund over the years, so there was immediate comfort there. It started with multiple reports detailing that he was stepping away. But the one thing well have is great conversation. On Oct. 15, 2012, Eddie Olczyk before the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame class of 2012 induction dinner in Dallas. Eddie went on to become one of the United States' top players. All rights reserved, Eddie Olczyk on Unfiltered: 'This was my decision', They couldn't come to terms on a new contract, Indiana State Trooper Struck and Killed by Suspect During Police Chase, Chicago FOP Lodge Reelects John Catanzara as President, New Ranking Names Most Expensive Cities In Illinois and These Chicago Suburbs Top the List, Chicago Suburb Lands on List of Happiest Places to Live,' Another Midwest City Makes Top 10, Chicago-Area Counties Under Winter Storm Advisories and Warnings, Actor Tom Sizemore, of Saving Private Ryan,' Dies at 61. As much as he never expected to leave the Blackhawks, the Kraken presented a perfect option. For an Original Six franchise, the Blackhawks need to do right by their fans here, which lately hasnt always been the case. From 1984 through 1987, Olczyk was a member of Chicago's infamous "Clydesdale Line" with Troy Murray and Curt Fraser, the nickname coined by Chicago's broadcaster Pat Foley, as each player weighed in at or around 200 pounds. In 1987, Olczyk was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs with Al Secord for Rick Vaive, Steve Thomas, and Bob McGill.[3]. Olczyk, who turns 51 on Aug. 16, had surgery last week, and Chicago Blackhawks team physician Dr. Michael Terry said . During the next season, he was traded back to the Winnipeg Jets for their fifth-round choice (who ended up being Alexei Vasiliev) in the 1995 NHL Entry Draft. But I dont see that happening for a long time. Nothing is said in exchange, and he carries on. The audio of Olczyk saying "This has been tremendously tremendous" was an instant hit among hockey enthusiasts and was the subject of many spoofs online. It will be a growing season within the booth next year for sure. Daughter Zandra, 20, is attending University of Alabama. He's going to go pound for pound with this disease and be standing with his hands in the air at the end as he did 361 times in his career. He worked on the coaching staff of Niagara Universitys hockey team and is currently a coach at Bemidji State University, UMass. Well, now two different voices. We are going to miss him as much as our fans will. Their sons, Nick, Tommy and Eddie III followed their fathers footsteps. We're able to talk about anything and everything. Tommy is a nationally ranked senior forward for Penn State. Edward Walter Olczyk Jr. (/ o l t k /; born August 16, 1966) is an American former center in the National Hockey League for 16 seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks, Toronto Maple Leafs, Winnipeg Jets, New York Rangers, Los Angeles Kings, and Pittsburgh Penguins.He won the Stanley Cup with the Rangers in 1994. Eddie Olczyk has been the Blackhawks TV analyst since 2006. Born as Edward Walter "Eddie" Olczyk on 16 August 1966, Ed is a native of Chicago, Illinois. He even stated, I will die a Blackhawk. Because of that, he could relay what most were thinking, whether good or bad. View all (84) Evan. 08/26/2019. Eddie also leads hockey analyst for NHL on NBC and, The Chicago Blackhawks. Eddie Olczyk serves as a handicapper and analyst for NBC Sports' Triple Crown horse racing coverage. It was a thrill for me to see both sons be so good and successful. Leiweke pitched Olczyk as he does anyone he wants to hire: He sells being part of a new NHL franchise and all the exciting things happening within the organization. Wed just lost our mom and it was always something Ricky and I had kind of talked about, Olczyk, a 16-year NHL veteran and U.S. Hockey Hall of Famer, said over coffee this week at the Kraken Community Iceplex during a brief stopover in Seattle. Eddie Olczyk is leaving the Chicago Blackhawks after 16 years as a color commentator on their television broadcasts. Hes still commuting between coasts, keeping an Eastside residence for when hes working here. Olczyk was also the lead color commentator for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics Men's Ice Hockey, where he partnered with Mike Emrick and "Inside-the-Glass" reporter Pierre McGuire. Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. This wasnt Olczyk navigating through the United Center and meeting his son to watch the Chicago Blackhawks practice before a broadcast. He has his gig with TNT to call national hockey games and he reportedly is in agreement to broadcast games with the Seattle Kraken (even though he didn't verbally admit it). From a broadcast standpoint, nothing has been different for Olczyk working for the Kraken. My dad is the strongest person I know. And with their family, was always Diana. Im frustrated that the Blackhawks could not get a deal done, and Im sad because of what the team will miss. This was Olczyk making his way through the Kraken Community Iceplex and watching the Krakens morning skate prior to joining John Forslund and J.T. SEATTLE Eddie Olczyk pulls out his keycard and swipes it to enter one door. He will be deeply missed. Theres great disappointment, but this was my decision. . Coach Red was one of the kindest and most knowledgeable human beings I was lucky enough to play for, and learn from in the game and in life. His younger brother, Ricky Olczyk, also fell in love with the game. "We'd park at the tollway oasis, walk together, meet halfway. If it was me, I would give her a shot. Olczyk was born and raised in Chicago. The Chicago Blackhawks released a statement regarding Eddie Olczyk's decision to leave the team as their color broadcaster and join the Seattle Kraken. August 11, 2022. Sign up for our regular 'Blackhawks Newsletter' for all the latest. Tommy, 25, is a senior forward for nationally ranked Penn State. Instead, Olczyk will join the Kraken while remaining as an analyst for TNT. [12], On August 8, 2017, Olczyk issued a statement through the Blackhawks to announce that he had been diagnosed with a form of colon cancer. In his NBC Sports horse racing debut on June 28, 2014, Olczyk correctly picked the longshot winner in both races on the $500,000 Gold Cup in the "Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In" telecast. July 23, 2022 by Brooke LoFurno. SUMMARY On July 11, 2012, Olczyk became the 16th Blackhawks player elected into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame. CHICAGO Eddie Olczyk is leaving the Chicago Blackhawks after 16 years as a color commentator on their television broadcasts. One of the best in the business. His oldest son, also named Eddie, is a 26-year-old assistant coach at Niagara University.