Previously, he covered the Blackhawks and the White Sox for ESPN Chicago. Regarding a replacement for Eddie, Mark Lazerus of The Athletic brought up the names of Patrick Sharp, Adam Burish, and Caley Chelios. There was a contract offer on the table. 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. He hopes that with the support and encouragement from my family, the Chicago Blackhawks organization, NBC Sports and all my friends and fans he will be back in the broadcast booth soon. 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. Tommy, 25, is a senior forward for . Eddie Olczyk. He was teammates with Eddie and now works with Ricky, and Francis wasn't surprised the brothers each reached the NHL. With the Blackhawks heading into unchartered territory, with pain ahead for every inch of the franchise, it almost seems fitting that Olczyk has found a way to escape it all in advance. In a seismic event in the Chicago sports market, the Blackhawks and TV analyst Eddie Olczyk are parting ways. [1], Olczyk grew up in Niles, Illinois and Palos Heights, Illinois and went to Brother Rice Catholic High School. 1 min read. Stanley Cup Final | Avalanche vs. He joined the Hurricanes as assistant general manager in June 2014. Olczyk will team with John Forslund to form one of the best TV tandems in hockey which the Hawks once had. For me, what it did was it reassured me that I was in a pretty good place before I was sick. Hell join the Krakens booth next season. He is also ranked in the richest person list from United States. Everybodys saying, get ready, get ready, the rains coming, the rains coming. Im like, I dont know, maybe. Olczyk, with Toronto Sun journalist Lefko, presents a gripping account of his remarkable life, from his selection for the 1984 U.S. Olympic Hockey team through his remarkable battle with colon cancer. If they put something to mind, there's a good chance they'll succeed at it.". He attended Brother Rice Catholic High School. Olczyk has several connections to the Kraken. We don't take it for granted. He eventually arrives at a restaurant. Im envious of his new colleagues in Seattle and all the people he will influence and mentor there, just like he did in Chicago. Olczyk has rented a two-bedroom apartment in the Seattle suburb of Bellevue. We'd go north for hockey. Having grown up in the hockey aspect of it, you just watch them all how they grow on the ice and as human beings,, About 25 years ago, Diana O. ranin the Pocahontas Stakes while Eddie was in Winnipeg for the hockey game. Thats just whatever. Whos to say the Blackhawks cant find another as they were lucky enough to find two? Ed Olczyk is also an inductee of USA-HOF from 2012. So, Ive always admired that. Michigan had the highest population of Olczyk families in 1920. Hes still commuting between coasts, keeping an Eastside residence for when hes working here. Join host Nick Olczyk for exclusive interviews, analysis, and dispatches from the road. CHICAGO (AP) Eddie Olczyk is leaving the Chicago Blackhawks after 16 years as a color commentator on their television broadcasts and is expected to work Seattle Kraken games next season. It is Nov. 10, 1990 and Eddie Olczyk's wife is well into labour at a Scarborough hospital. The couple has four children namely Nick, Tom, Rick, and a daughter called Zandra. Im not very confident. He grew up watching the Blackhawks on TV and then he was drafted by them in 1984. The Blackhawks honored "Edzo" for his induction in a pregame ceremony on February 22, 2013, at the United Center. Born as Edward Walter "Eddie" Olczyk on 16 August 1966, Ed is a native of Chicago, Illinois. Look, I never thought Id leave home. For as good as Olczyk is a broadcaster, I will even more so miss his personality and what he brought to the broadcasts as a human being. 1 Marriage 4 Children. Blindsided. But the one thing well have is great conversation. Its tough to say. Hes taken in some of the scenery and gotten to know the area. And so, when extension talks with the Blackhawks snagged this summer, Olczyk didnt hesitate when his brothers team made their pitch. Once the time came, the longtime broadcaster initiated meetings with Rocky and Danny Wirtz and Jaime Faulkner. Perhaps it didnt really matter what the Blackhawks threw his way, as he may have been waiting for the perfect excuse to find his way out of town anyway. (Scott Powers / The Athletic). And it all began with that little yellow pamphlet. They could have offered him more money or a longer contract. Those who are a fan of image upscaling and Fallout 4 will be pleased to His oldest son, also named Eddie, is a 26-year-old assistant coach at Niagara University. Plus, like with all of his contracts, Olczyk had asked his brother, Ricky, a former lawyer, to look it over before signing. But if youre Olczyk, do you really want to do that?Just like with Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews. Im sure Sharpie will probably have it taped off and let me know theres a password to get in there.. I feel bad, but its hard not to do that.. . Sure, youre getting older, and the glory days might be more behind you than in front of you. The root cause of. 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. I really have a lot of respect for what theyre doing and how theyre going about it. But, with the attention surrounding the story, he couldn't help but clear the air. But either way, it doesnt paint the best picture for the team. I think both sides certainly expected to get a contract done. That was hard to hear because it seemed like all the Blackhawks had to do was give him what he wanted. CHICAGO -- Eddie Olczyk is leaving the Chicago Blackhawks after 16 years as a color commentator on their television broadcasts.. He's expected to work Seattle Kraken games next season, joining the . I want to make that perfectly clear this was my decision.". Because there are a couple of times over the years where I was doing a lot of games, maybe doing like five in six (days), and I think I called Doc (Emrick) Pat (Foley) and Pat, Doc. His contract with the Blackhawks expired on June 30, and a team source said the leadership group was "blindsided" by Olczyk's decision to leave. I want to thank Eddie for his unsuffered commitment to this organization, even in the face of personal challenges, Wirtz said. Like many Blackhawks fans, Edzo has done a lot for me. SUMMARY He often traveled for NHL games and his work still leads him to travel across the country. "How ironic," Olczyk said . On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. His brother Ricky is an assistant general manager, his son Eddie is an amateur scout and general manager Ron Francis is a close friend. Theres great disappointment, but this was my decision. At least the way Eddie Olczyk sees it. That he was a former draft pick made it that much more special to witness. And then he started a 16-year long broadcasting journey with them in 2006. Ricky had a few small professional hockey opportunities out of college, but decided against them. Since making his sports broadcast debut, traveling between cities is still a part of Eddie Olzcyks schedule. Olczyk already had a ton of reasons to consider joining the Kraken. Currently, Rick is an assistant general manager of the Carolina Hurricanes. Zandra is a student at the University of Alabama. Eddie Olczyk (right) and Pat Foley are calling Blackhawks playoff games together but apart. He scored his first NHL goal in his first NHL game on October 11, 1984, versus the Detroit Red Wings in Chicago Stadium against Greg Stefan. Although the news is still shocking, the dust has settled after a few days. This is the official podcast of the Seattle Kraken! These are some really, really big shoes to fill. That didn't stop him from continuing to pursue a hockey career, and Ricky made his own way to the NHL through the front office. Having said that, this is a huge, huge blow for the Blackhawks and their fans. Along with being a longtime color commentator for the NHL . However, people grow into that legendary status all the time within hockey. Olczyk won't return as a color commentator for Hawks games on NBC Sports Chicago,. 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. It was five years ago last month that Olczyk announced he was stepping away from NBC work to undergo chemotherapy and radiation treatments. I'm very fortunate to have that relationship with him. He took a break from his broadcast activities and is currently receiving treatment. He used to drive from Chicago to Indianapolis to make 50 bucks a game, Olczyk said. Diana and Eddie Olczyk are parents to four children. After signing as a free agent with the Los Angeles Kings in 1996, he would not finish the season with them before being traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins for Glen Murray. One may not agree nor understand. I think that's a perfect slogan if you can quote our family.". He often traveled for NHL games and his work still leads him to travel across the country. On July 18, it was announced that beloved Chicago Blackhawks broadcaster Eddie Olczyk would leave the organization after serving 16 years as a color commentator for the team, and will join the Seattle Krakens broadcast. We're able to talk about anything and everything. Olczyk has several connections to the Kraken. You think of Kane and Toews on the ice and Pat and Eddie in the booth. View all (84) Evan. "It was a decision that I wrestled with for a while," Olczyk said on Unfiltered while talking to Pat Boyle. Founded in 2009, The Hockey Writers is a premier destination for news and information on everything hockey. But it was not meant to be. But do you want to stick it out with a rebuilding club? And with their family, was always Diana. Burish seems like someone who could fly off the handle, or perhaps not be as controlled or professional as the organization might want. 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. My family and I appreciate privacy during this time as we focus our attention on my treatments.". Eddie Olczyk serves as a handicapper and analyst for NBC Sports' Triple Crown horse racing coverage. "At the end of the day it is always about money and terms. He understands Chicago fans, and he connected with them so well because of that. Would she thrive in a bigger role? He scored 180 points in the first three seasons of his hockey career that he spent with the Blackhawks. He's expected to work Seattle Kraken games next season. Plus the fact that he always went out of his way to praise his partner, The great Pat Foley.Shucks, nobody calls me, The great Gail Kauchak!. Their daughter, Alexandra is a student at the University of Alabama. While Olczyk has repeatedly said it was his decision to step aside during his recent media appearances, it seems very evident he didnt want to leave. Eddie Olczyk (fully Edward Walter Olczyk Jr.) is an American professional ice hockey analyst who also formerly played ice hockey as a center for NHL teams like Chicago Blackhawks, Toronto Maple Leafs, Winnipeg Jets, New York Rangers, Los Angeles Kings, and the Pittsburgh Penguins. At 6-foot-1, 220 pounds, he was the most skilled of the "Clydesdales," playing on a line with Troy Murray and Curt Fraser early in his Blackhawks career. The Hawks and Olczyk reached a verbal agreement to create another contract before then. A few years ago, I got his book Eddie Olczyk: Beating the Odds in Hockey and in Life, which is a fascinating read. With that, our Blackhawks team wanted to get together to reflect on this monumental change. [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. Tommy, 25, is a senior forward for nationally ranked Penn State. He was also inducted into the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame in 2013. Eddie III spent a season with the Bloomington Thunder of the SPHL, has been an assistant coach with the Bemidji State Beavers, and is an amateur scout for the Kraken. His brother, Ricky, was in the front office. . He did over 200 games in Indy and got an unbelievable opportunity when my former linemate, Troy, got sick. In 2003, he moved from the booth to the bench and served as head coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins from June 11, 2003, until December 15, 2005. It was a thrill for me to see both sons be so good and successful. Diana and Eddie Olczyk are parents to four children. Brown on the local TV Seattle broadcast in the evening. August 11, 2022. I mean thats just the reality of the world we live in. Its not normal. He was hired by the Edmonton Oilers in 2007 as director of hockey administration and legal affairs, and eventually was promoted to assistant general manager. Before he watched the late telecast of the race on TV, his wife called to tell him some grave news about her namesake thoroughbred. The credibility that Olczyk brought to his role was second to none. With that said, the fact that Eddie has found his way to being part of the overall teardown just seems all too fitting at this point. Hall of Fame play-by-play voice Pat Foley and Olczyk worked together for 14 years, and they were always entertaining and informative. We are going to miss him as much as our fans will. Meet the Inspiring NFL On-Air Personality, Who Is Will Hardy? Theres great disappointment, but this was my decision. Ricky didn't possess the talent Eddie did, though, and his playing days ended in college. Whether coming to Seattle from Chicago, where he and his wife still have their home, or most cities he visits with TNT, the flights are simply longer. With Kevin Durant now in the mix, the new-look Suns showed the Bulls just how much firepower they have. The wrong time for another loss, as the Bulls were now two games out of a play-in spot. Olczyk, who turns 51 on Aug. 16, has been the in-game analyst for Chicago Blackhawks games on Comcast SportsNet Chicago and WGN-TV since the 2006-07 season. "This will always be my home," Olczyk said. In 2009, Olczyk received an Emmy for "Outstanding Achievement for Individual Excellence On Camera: Programming," followed by a 2012 Emmy for "Outstanding Achievement for Sports Programs - Sporting Event/Game - Live/Unedited Program/Special." Someone is seated inside the otherwise-empty restaurant, and Olczyk explains hes going into the other room to be interviewed. Its just not the same, but that doesnt mean its bad. 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. 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. Rather, we get to remember the calls that made celebrating their achievements that much more because he was part of sharing the good news. I went from building a case for why he should have been considered Chicagos next general manager on Blackhawks Banter, to being less than surprised to see him depart their broadcasting booth. 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. Well. The NHL player turned broadcaster was on his second round of chemotherapy for stage 3 colon cancer, and the effects were so severe that he told his wife, Diana . I suspect that well see a cast of characters come and go throughout the season, each taking their rightful turn at proving why the role should be theirs. Hall of Fame play-by-play voice Pat Foley was forced out after last season, the team traded star winger Alex DeBrincat on draft day and now Olczyk is departing. Eddie Olczyk is leaving the Chicago Blackhawks after 16 years as a color commentator on their television broadcasts. Diana O. was in the lead at one point and it looked like she could win. 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. We admire you, and were lucky to have you as part of our extended family.. Eddie's sons are continuing the hockey tradition in the Olczyk family. "I've always tied it somehow. The hockey tradition has also carried on with Eddie's three sons, who are all coaching and playing hockey. Itll be great to be back home and Im sure it will be emotional for me on the inside, for sure. "Both my boys and my brother, and (general manager) Ronnie Francis, we. And as Olczyk put it, the fans might not enjoy the outcome but he hopes you enjoyed the broadcast. Editorial Reviews. I had one goal. Eddie Olczyk, Perry Lefko. Olczyk explained he tried to keep a "low profile" during the day. He didnt elaborate on theirlove. In 1920 there were 2 Olczyk families living in Michigan. CHICAGO Eddie Olczyk is leaving the Chicago Blackhawks after 16 years as a color commentator on their television broadcasts. Eddie Olczyk Wife He married a beutiful woman called Diana Olczyk. Before leaving to join Team Israel, Cubs prospect Matt Mervis shared why this WBC means so much to him. Awesome! Against all odds, he played on the 1984 U.S. Olympic hockey team as a 17-year-old . As a fan, he made watching and listening to that much more of a treat as a result. But, he hopes you enjoyed his time in Chicago. He will be deeply missed. And the one thing I guess Im proud and excited to say is that I dont. 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. Nick will live there permanently during the season, and Olczyk will take the smaller bedroom when hes in town. Follow Scott on Twitter @byscottpowers, Nick Olczyk, John Forslund and Eddie Olczyk are part of the Krakens broadcast team this season. If thats the case, do you blame him? Lets face it; he was the voice of the Blackhawks for the last 16 years. Nothing is said in exchange, and he carries on. Beginning with the 200607 NHL season, Olczyk was the color commentator for the Chicago Blackhawks television broadcasts, partnering play-by-play announcer Pat Foley. In the past two years, he also has covered Triple Crown and other major horse racing events for NBC. Just the timing is what it is, and you have to make those decisions. Despite ample legal trouble, Sizemore had steady film and television credits. 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. Eddie's sons are continuing the hockey tradition in the Olczyk family. Michelle Muscatello Leaving WPRI: Where Is the Rhode Island Meteorologist Going? His son, Nick, has rented near him, but on a more permanent basis as he develops Kraken content across TV, radio and digital platforms. Secure payments & money back guarantee. He has one brother Rick Olczyk, who is also involved in the hockey profession. Eddie Olczyk's son Nick, who has been one of the radio color analyst fill-ins for Troy Murray this season, made his television debut that night and anybody watching and listening could notice the . FACT CHECK: Dave Ramsey Made a Statement About America Online, FACT CHECK: CIA Director Gina Haspel Found Dead, FACT CHECK: Kwik Trip Launches Kwik Strip Gentlemens Clubs, Eddie Olczyk has a high-flying career literally. ", Powers: Olczyk family living the hockey life. But he drew one, too and it leads to Seattle. He's been the lead hockey analyst for NBC Sports since 2007, working regularly with play-by-play announcer Mike "Doc" Emrick. They could have him, Forslund and Brown in the same booth depending on the size of an arenas broadcast area or have one working from a different vantage point. June 7th, 2022 Birthday. According to a source, the Hawks would not give him the same contract length that the Kraken did. But despite Rocky Wirtzs feelings for him, the Hawks drew a line with Olczyk. We just could not come to terms on a contract, and I have stepped away, Olczyk told the Sun-Times. As regards, Eddie's childhood he was raised . He continues through another door that leads him outside, then through another door back inside. I don't know why we're so deserving of these fortunes. Youd be hard-pressed to find anyone more loyal to the Hawks over the last 16 years than Eddie O, whether it be in the broadcast booth or in the community. Former NHL forward and coach Eddie Olczyk has been diagnosed with colon cancer. All NHL team jerseys customized with NHL players' names and numbers are officially licensed by the NHL and the NHLPA. He continues through another door that leads him outside, then through another door back inside. Eddie Olczyk released a statement sayinghe wasdiagnosed with colon cancer. My mom would take my dad's car to go home to go south. If one thing's certain, however, it's that "Eddie-O" will forever be a Chicago legend. The Chicago Blackhawks released a statement regarding Eddie Olczyk's decision to leave the team as their color broadcaster and join the Seattle Kraken. I do have to look over. Later tied by Phil Kessel, the record would stand until being passed by Patrick Kane in 2015-16 season. Diana Olczyk and Eddie Olczyk are the parents of 4 children Eddie Olczyk is happily married to Diana Olczyk.. The broadcasting part of it, you know, just get into the booth, throw the headset on and wherever you are, Olczyk said. The same thinking could be applied to any of their offseason departures, in that it feels like the Blackhawks failed to do much of anything when it came to finding a way to keep fan favourites around.
