Having grown up in the hockey aspect of it, you just watch them all how they grow on the ice and as human beings, said Diana. "It's neat," Ricky said. Eddie Olczyk was born on August 16, 1966, in Chicago, Illinois, U.S. He has learned to sleep on planes over the years, so that helps. Whos to say the Blackhawks cant find another as they were lucky enough to find two? He had worked many national games with Forslund over the years, so there was immediate comfort there. CHICAGO -- Diana Olczyk can still remember the color of the pamphlet her oldest son, Eddie Olczyk, handed her more than 40 years ago, the one that started it all. 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). Neither would eleven, five, or even six. 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. 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. For me, what it did was it reassured me that I was in a pretty good place before I was sick. That's what we did.". A little later, Olczyk leaves the restaurant, walks down a set of stairs and joins media members near the top of a set of bleachers to watch a hockey practice. If no results appear, use Enter to do a full site search. His amateur career started from the early age but his professional career started only from 1984 when he was selected by the Chicago Blackhawks. His deal expired after last season. "We'd park at the tollway oasis, walk together, meet halfway. His travel is longer. Hall of Fame play-by-play voice Pat Foley and Olczyk worked together for 14 years, and they were always entertaining and informative. It was a head-scratching moment to hear that Eddie Olczyk planned to leave the Chicago Blackhawks' broadcasting booth for good. As the MC of the Blackhawks town-hall event Feb. 2, Hawks TV analyst Eddie Olczyk introduced the panel of team executives chairman Rocky Wirtz, CEO Danny Wirtz and president of business operations Jaime Faulkner. As a youth, Olczyk played in the 1978 and 1979 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournaments with a minor ice hockey team from Chicago. Through their ups and downs, he was the voice of reason for Chicago and was one of the teams biggest ambassadors. I had one goal. He won the Stanley Cup with the Rangers in 1994. The success the Olczyk family has had in the sport can largely be credited to the sacrifices Diana and her husband, Ed, made early in Eddie's career. The yellow pamphlet was an invitation to learn how to skate at Ballard Sports Complex in Niles, Illinois. Seattle has become another home for Olczyk. The broadcasting part of it, you know, just get into the booth, throw the headset on and wherever you are, Olczyk said. Olczyk will team with John Forslund to form one of the best TV tandems in hockey which the Hawks once had. In . Daughter Zandra, 20, is attending University of Alabama. He eventually arrives at a restaurant. Thats as far as Im gonna go on that. 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. He will be deeply missed. All NHL logos and marks and NHL team logos and marks depicted herein are the property of the NHL and the respective teams and may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of NHL Enterprises, L.P. NHL 2023. And so, when extension talks with the Blackhawks snagged this summer, Olczyk didnt hesitate when his brothers team made their pitch. Their daughter, Alexandra is a student at the University of Alabama. To be around Ricky is big, because I dont always get the chance, Olczyk said of his brother, who was a team captain at Brown University and used his law degree to break into the NHL, serving as an AGM in Edmonton and Carolina. Tommy is a nationally ranked senior forward for Penn State. But I dont see that happening for a long time. He was born and raised here, and he played for the Blackhawks. I'm very fortunate to have that relationship with him. I know how close their family is and I know how close we are as a family. Nick will live there permanently during the season, and Olczyk will take the smaller bedroom when hes in town. That kind of reminds you, 'Work hard and you do what you have to do and it's for your children.' Book a personalized video $49. The moves are not sitting well with fans, who might feel the sting of this more than the rebuild. Thirteen just wouldn't have the same ring to it. According to a source, the Hawks would not give him the same contract length that the Kraken did. . Someone is seated inside the otherwise-empty restaurant, and Olczyk explains hes going into the other room to be interviewed. For an Original Six franchise, the Blackhawks need to do right by their fans here, which lately hasnt always been the case. The couple now owns four thoroughbred horses and hes also a big advocate of the safety of the animals. Olczyk was also the head coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins from June 2003 to December 2005. The hockey tradition has also carried on with Eddie's three sons, who are all coaching and playing hockey. Michigan had the highest population of Olczyk families in 1920. My family and I appreciate privacy during this time as we focus our attention on my treatments.". Nothing is said in exchange, and he carries on. Rather, we get to remember the calls that made celebrating their achievements that much more because he was part of sharing the good news. And the one thing I guess Im proud and excited to say is that I dont. Is Larry Elder Related to the Late Golf Legend, Lee Elder. Thank you Eddie for all you have done for the Blackhawks and the city of Chicago, and best of luck on your newest adventure! Eddie Olczyk is leaving the Chicago Blackhawks after 16 years as a color commentator on their television broadcasts. Diana and Eddie Olczyk are parents to four children. On Oct. 15, 2012, Eddie Olczyk before the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame class of 2012 induction dinner in Dallas. But lets face it, the Blackhawks are trying to start anew. His brother Ricky is an assistant general manager, his son Eddie is an amateur scout and general manager Ron Francis is a close friend. Between working as an analyst for NBC, the Chicago Blackhawks, and NHL on Versus as well as a few other broadcasts, he accumulated many frequent flier miles! During the games first intermission, he announced he was cancer-free, and his openness during and after his battle never failed to amaze me. Im frustrated that the Blackhawks could not get a deal done, and Im sad because of what the team will miss. Eddie Olczyk has been the Blackhawks TV analyst since 2006. Eddie Olczyk @Edzo16. Before leaving to join Team Israel, Cubs prospect Matt Mervis shared why this WBC means so much to him. Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. Itll be great to be back home and Im sure it will be emotional for me on the inside, for sure. Eddie Olczyk believes that should be great for the network and the league. "I think we've gotten closer," Ricky said. We'd go north for hockey. CHICAGO Eddie Olczyk is leaving the Chicago Blackhawks after 16 years as a color commentator on their television broadcasts. Hurricanes general manager Ron Francis has known the Olczyk family for years. SEATTLE Eddie Olczyk pulls out his keycard and swipes it to enter one door. Their sons, Nick, Tommy and Eddie III followed their fathers footsteps. On July 18, 2022, Olczyk left the Blackhawks following a contract dispute to join the broadcasting team for the Seattle Kraken. All you young hockey fans out there, Keep your stick on the ice!, Stop it right there. They were hoping Eddie would be a bridge to that newness. "At the end of the day it is always about money and terms. Eddie Olczyk. Their relationship has changed as adults. NHL.com is the official web site of the National Hockey League. We appreciate his many . Eddie Olczyk fans are of all ages. "Negotiations are hard," Olczyk said. Eddie Olczyk is leaving the Chicago Blackhawks after 16 years as a color commentator on their television broadcasts. [2] He is an alumnus of Loyola Academy and Michigan State University, with a Bachelor of Science in telecommunications from the latter. The Family Man. "Once you're in, you're in," said Eddie, 49, who is an analyst for the Chicago Blackhawks and nationally for NBC. You need that entering a rebuild, and theyre missing out. Olczyk kept saying, It was time to step back. With his brother Ricky being the assistant general manager for the Kraken, Perhaps he just saw this new opportunity as a better way to go out than the slog that will probably be the Blackhawks for years to come. Brown on the local TV Seattle broadcast in the evening. Olczyk also has an interest in Thoroughbred horse racing, appearing in advertisements for Xpressbet and serving as a guest commentator and handicapper for major horse racing events such as the Kentucky Derby, Kentucky Oaks, Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes on NBC networks, and on WGN Sports coverage of the Arlington Million that is fed nationally. I'm proud as heck. That became more complicated when the family moved from Niles, a northwest Chicago suburb, to Palos Heights, a southwest suburb, and Eddie still had practices in the northwest suburbs. (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. Still, he continued to negotiate with the Blackhawks and only decided later to turn down their offer and agree to a deal with the Kraken. 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The news of Olczyk leaving the Blackhawks. She would take their sons to their hockey games and trips, carrying three bags of hockey gear, and tied their skates. We all simply have to get used to a different voice. At the end of the 53 U.S. win over Canada at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, Olczyk described the game as being "tremendously tremendous" after U.S. forward Ryan Kesler scored an empty-netter. 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. At the end of the day it is always about money and terms. Olczyk is one of the best analysts in not just the NHL but all of professional sports. Before he watched the late telecast of the race on TV, his wife called to tell him some grave news about her namesake thoroughbred. Olczyk feels the same. Throughout his career as an NHL player, he played 1,031 NHL games and produced 342 goals and 452 assists for a total of 794 points. Whether it was from Winnipeg to Los Angeles or Pittsburgh back to Chicago, there was Diana Olczyk with four kids, carrying three hockey bags, occasionally a diaper bag and tying a lot of skates. To us, family is everything.". Eddie Olczyk on Unfiltered: 'This was my decision' originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago. My favorite Edzo moment came back in March 2018, when the Blackhawks were playing the Vancouver Canucks. Eddie Olczyk Jr., the son of former NHL forward and NBC Sports hockey analyst Eddie Olczyk, released the following statement Thursday on Twitter in response to countless messages the family has received after his father was diagnosed with colon cancer last week: Tweet from @Edzo16: Thank you for your support pic.twitter.com/MdKuObmPr6, "After what has been a very emotional number of days for my family, I'd like to say thank you for the unbelievable amount of support we have received," said Olczyk Jr., an assistant hockey coach at Bemidji State University. He played the last two seasons of his career in Chicago. Given our age discrepancy its four years older for the record he and I were never able to play against each other or on the same team in any sport. Nick Olczyk, Eddies son who appeared on TV and radio for the Hawks last season, also will not return, according to a source. Eddie Olczyk Wife He married a beutiful woman called Diana Olczyk. Awesome! The actor suffered a brain aneurysm Feb. 18 at his Los Angeles home and died in his sleep Friday at a hospital in Burbank, California, his manager said. Olczyk was pleased the Blackhawks replaced him with Murray and Patrick Sharp, two people he has known and respected for many years. Not because its not possible, but more so because the void that Foley and Olczyk leave will be extremely difficult to fill. I really have a lot of respect for what theyre doing and how theyre going about it. We appreciate his many contributions and wish him well in his future endeavors.. She did radio analysis, and she called a few games on TV. Eddie Olczyk joined the Seattle Kraken broadcast team as a television analyst Thursday. Meet the Rumored New Head Coach of the Utah Jazz. Eddie will always be part of the Blackhawks family. Try a week on us. And Olczyk is still awaiting a finalized national broadcast schedule from TNT before he knows which ROOT games hell do. And just make sure I walk into the right booth. He has one sibling Rick Olczyk, who is additionally engaged with hockey calling. At present, Rick is a colleague general administrator of the . Ricky didn't possess the talent Eddie did, though, and his playing days ended in college. Brian, Darryl, Duane, and theyve had situations where theyve worked in the same organization. Any other third party trademarks or copyrights are the property of their respective owners. The Kraken were well aware of Olczyks contract status. He'll be back on his feet, in the booth, and at the track in no time. The record was broken by Patrick Kane of the Chicago Blackhawks during the 201516 season. Those who are a fan of image upscaling and Fallout 4 will be pleased to Edward Walter Olczyk Jr. (/oltk/; 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. One may not agree nor understand. However, I feel like that may not be a realistic possibility, considering the teams apparent youth movement. Sign up for our regular 'Blackhawks Newsletter' for all the latest. , but obviously, it worked out well for this longtime married couple. The couple has four children namely Nick, Tom, Rick, and a daughter called Zandra. Geoff Baker covers hockey and is a sports enterprise and investigative reporter for The Seattle Times. He has also written for the Daily Herald and the Chicago Sun-Times and has been a sportswriter in the Chicagoland area for the past 15 years. He has more than earned the right to command whatever he wants as far as contracts go. The Blackhawks teardown includes the TV booth. The Olczyk family lived a comfortable life as his father had earned a huge sum of money in his career. I want to make that perfectly clear this was my decision.". "This will always be my home," Olczyk said. In the past two years, he also has covered Triple Crown and other major horse racing events for NBC. Share. Im sure there will be a day where its pouring rain, and Ill call you, like, hey, its raining here, just so you know, and it hasnt stopped..