Steven Oleksy

{{Infobox ice hockey player

| name = Steven Oleksy

| image = Steve Oleksy 2016-03-01 1.JPG

| caption = Oleksy with the Pittsburgh Penguins during an away game against the Washington Capitals, March 2016

| image_size = 230 px

| played_for = Washington Capitals
Pittsburgh Penguins

| position = Defense

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1986|2|4}}

| birth_place = Chesterfield, Michigan, U.S.

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 0

| weight_lb = 194

| shoots = Right

| draft = Undrafted

| career_start = 2009

| career_end = 2023

}}

Steven Andrew Oleksy (born February 4, 1986) is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman. He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins.

Early life

Oleksy was born in Chesterfield, Michigan. He attended L'Anse Creuse High School - North in Macomb Township, Michigan and graduated in 2004. He has one brother, Daniel, who played hockey at Oakland University in Michigan. During high school, Oleksy was a four-year letter winner at L'Anse Creuse High School-North. He played one year of NJCAA college baseball at Macomb Community College in Warren, Michigan. His jersey number was retired at L'Anse Creuse High School North on May 13, 2014.

Playing career

Oleksy grew up playing hockey around the metro Detroit area. He played for the Troy Sting AA team, before moving on to play junior hockey in the Central States Hockey League with the Michigan Metro Jets. He then played in the NAHL with the Traverse City North Stars. Next, Oleksy earned a scholarship at Lake Superior State University in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan where he played three seasons of NCAA Division I college hockey with the Lake Superior State Lakers men's ice hockey team. After graduating, he turned professional joining the Las Vegas Wranglers for two games at the end of their 2008–09 ECHL season.{{cite web| url = http://www.toledowalleye.com/news.asp?id=100 | title = Walleye Agree To Terms With Seven More! Meet the Walleye Signees at Hens Game! | publisher = Toledo Walleye | date = 2009-03-12 | accessdate = 2009-03-12}}

After starting the 2011–12 season with the Idaho Steelheads of the ECHL for a third season, Oleksy joined the Bridgeport Sound Tigers on loan before signing an extension for the remainder of the year on February 23, 2012.{{cite web | url = http://www.soundtigers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=22700&ATCLID=205385214 | title = Riley, Oleksy sign AHL contracts | publisher = American Hockey League | date = 2012-02-23 | accessdate = 2012-02-23 | archive-date = February 4, 2015 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150204232223/http://www.soundtigers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=22700&ATCLID=205385214 | url-status = dead }}

File:Steve Oleksy 2013-03-19.JPG

Proving a solid addition to the Sound Tigers' defense, Oleksy was signed as a free agent for the following 2012–13 season in the AHL with the Hershey Bears on July 2, 2012.{{cite web| url = http://www.hersheybears.com/news/detail.php?id=3849 | title = Taffe, DiSalvatore, Berry and Oleksy bolster roster | publisher = Hershey Bears | date = 2012-07-02 | accessdate = 2012-07-04}} After 55 games with the Bears and ranking third among AHL defensemen in penalty minutes, Oleksy was signed to his first NHL deal with the Bears' affiliate, the Washington Capitals, on a three-year two-way contract on March 4, 2013. He was then immediately recalled to the Capitals.{{Cite web| url = http://capitals.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=658615 | title = Capitals sign and recall Steven Oleksy from Hershey | publisher = Washington Capitals | date = 2013-03-04 | accessdate = 2013-03-04}} In his NHL debut, he registered an assist for the Capitals in a 4–3 comeback victory over the Boston Bruins on March 5.{{cite web| url = https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=417474 | title = Fehr's OT goal completes comeback as Capitals top Bruins | publisher = The Sports Network | date = 2013-03-05 | accessdate = 2013-03-05}}

On July 1, 2015, Oleksy left the Capitals as a free agent and signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins.{{cite web| url = http://penguins.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=773482 | title = Penguins sign defenseman Steven Oleksy | publisher = Pittsburgh Penguins | date = 2015-07-01 | accessdate = 2015-07-01}} On June 12, 2016, he won the Stanley Cup as a member of the Penguins. After the game he drank his first ever sip of alcohol out of the cup.{{Cite web|url=http://www.russianmachineneverbreaks.com/2016/06/13/steve-oleksys-first-taste-of-alcohol-was-out-of-the-stanley-cup/|title=Steve Oleksy's First Taste of Alcohol Was Out of the Stanley Cup|date=2016-06-13|website=Russian Machine Never Breaks|access-date=2016-06-21}} During the 2016–17 season, he started a second season in Scranton before he returned to NHL action, appearing in 11 games with Pittsburgh for 1 assist. On March 1, 2017, Oleksy was included in a trade by the Penguins, alongside Eric Fehr and a fourth-round pick in 2017, to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for Frank Corrado. He was directly assigned to AHL affiliate, the Toronto Marlies.{{cite web|url = http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/maple-leafs-acquire-forward-eric-fehr-penguins/ | title = Maple Leafs acquire Fehr, Oleksy and pick from Penguins for Corrado | publisher = Sportsnet.ca | date = 2017-03-01 | accessdate = 2017-03-01}}

On July 2, 2017, Oleksy secured a two-year, one-way contract as a free agent with the Anaheim Ducks.{{cite web |url=http://theahl.com/ducks-ink-four-players |title=Ducks ink four players |publisher=American Hockey League |date=2017-07-02 |accessdate=2017-07-02}} During the second year of his contract in the 2018–19 season, while with the Ducks AHL affiliate, the San Diego Gulls, he was traded for a second time to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for Adam Cracknell on December 10, 2018.{{cite web| url = https://www.nhl.com/ducks/news/ducks-acquire-cracknell-from-toronto-in-exchange-for-oleksy/c-302800134 | title = Ducks acquire Cracknell from Toronto for Oleksy | publisher = Anaheim Ducks | date = 2018-12-10 | accessdate = 2018-12-10}} He appeared in a further 23 regular season games with the Marlies posting 2 goals and 5 points.

With his NHL contract concluded, Oleksy as a free agent from the Maple Leafs went unsigned over the summer. On September 27, 2019, he agreed to return to former AHL club the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, signing an initial professional tryout contract to begin the 2019–20 season.{{cite web | url = http://www.wbspenguins.com/2019/09/27/penguins-sign-steve-oleksy-to-pto/ | title = Penguins sign Steve Oleksy to PTO | publisher = Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins | date = September 27, 2019 | accessdate = September 27, 2019}} Oleksy was released from his tryout before appearing in a game with the Penguins and was signed to an ECHL contract with the Toledo Walleye on October 15, 2019.{{cite web| url = https://www.toledowalleye.com/news/walleye-ink-nhl-defenseman-steven-oleksy-as-fourth-veteran | title = Walleye ink NHL defenseman Oleksy as fourth veteran | publisher = Toledo Walleye | date = October 15, 2019 | accessdate = October 15, 2019}} He made 36 appearances in his return with the Walleye before leaving North America to sign a contract in Europe for the remainder of the season with Austrian club, EHC Black Wings Linz of the EBEL, on February 7, 2020.{{cite web| url = https://www.blackwings.at/news/beitrag/ein-stanley-cup-sieger-fuer-die-black-wings.html | title = Stanley Cup winner for the Black Wings | publisher = EHC Black Wings Linz | date = February 7, 2020 | accessdate = February 7, 2020 | language = German}}

In Summer 2021, he re-signed a contract with the Toledo Walleye of the ECHL before being traded to the Orlando Solar Bears.

Personal life

Olesky has been married to singer and businesswoman Brooke Hogan, since June 8, 2022.{{Cite web |date=2024-01-02 |title=Brooke Hogan Secretly Married Hockey Player Steven Oleksy in 2022: On January 18, 2025, it was announced that Steven and Brooke welcomed fraternal twins: Oliver and Molly on January 15, 2025. 'We Feel So Blessed' |url=https://ca.style.yahoo.com/brooke-hogan-secretly-married-hockey-154654834.html |access-date=2024-01-02 |website=ca.style.yahoo.com |language=en-CA}} He was known as "Binky" to his teammates, a childhood nickname from him needing a pacifier while sick in hospital.{{cite web|title=Penguins’ Most Creative Player Nicknames Through the Years|url=https://thehockeywriters.com/pittsburgh-penguins-nicknames-history/|publisher=The Hockey Writers|access-date=16 April 2024|date=March 25, 2024}}

Career statistics

border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" style="text-align:center; width:60em"

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="3" bgcolor="#ffffff" |

! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" |

! colspan="5" | Regular season

! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" |

! colspan="5" | Playoffs

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! Season

! Team

! League

! GP

! G

! A

! Pts

! PIM

! GP

! G

! A

! Pts

! PIM

ALIGN="center"

| 2005–06

| Traverse City North Stars

| NAHL

| 57

| 11

| 19

| 30

| 140

| 5

| 0

| 1

| 2

ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2006–07

| Lake Superior State U.

| CCHA

| 39

| 2

| 4

| 24

| —

ALIGN="center"

| 2007–08

| Lake Superior State U.

| CCHA

| 36

| 1

| 6

| 7

| 36

| —

ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2008–09

| Lake Superior State U.

| CCHA

| 38

| 0

| 9

| 50

| —

ALIGN="center"

| 2008–09

| Las Vegas Wranglers

| ECHL

| 2

| 0

| —

ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2009–10

| Toledo Walleye

| ECHL

| 3

| 0

| 2

| —

ALIGN="center"

| 2009–10

| Port Huron Icehawks

| IHL

| 28

| 1

| 2

| 35

| —

ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2009–10

| Idaho Steelheads

| ECHL

| 33

| 1

| 8

| 9

| 72

| 8

| 0

| 25

ALIGN="center"

| 2010–11

| Idaho Steelheads

| ECHL

| 55

| 7

| 14

| 21

| 134

| —

ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2010–11

| Lake Erie Monsters

| AHL

| 17

| 0

| 4

| 39

| 3

| 0

| 1

| 2

ALIGN="center"

| 2011–12

| Idaho Steelheads

| ECHL

| 14

| 1

| 7

| 8

| 47

| —

ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2011–12

| Bridgeport Sound Tigers

| AHL

| 50

| 1

| 14

| 15

| 98

| 3

| 0

| 2

ALIGN="center"

| 2012–13

| Hershey Bears

| AHL

| 55

| 2

| 12

| 14

| 151

| —

ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2012–13

| Washington Capitals

| NHL

| 28

| 1

| 8

| 9

| 33

| 7

| 0

| 1

| 4

ALIGN="center"

| 2013–14

| Washington Capitals

| NHL

| 33

| 2

| 8

| 10

| 53

| —

ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2013–14

| Hershey Bears

| AHL

| 30

| 0

| 6

| 39

| —

ALIGN="center"

| 2014–15

| Hershey Bears

| AHL

| 68

| 4

| 11

| 15

| 147

| 8

| 0

| 3

| 8

ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2014–15

| Washington Capitals

| NHL

| 1

| 0

| —

ALIGN="center"

| 2015–16

| Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins

| AHL

| 63

| 2

| 17

| 19

| 123

| 9

| 0

| 1

| 38

ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2016–17

| Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins

| AHL

| 16

| 1

| 4

| 5

| 16

| —

ALIGN="center"

| 2016–17

| Pittsburgh Penguins

| NHL

| 11

| 0

| 1

| 24

| —

ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2016–17

| Toronto Marlies

| AHL

| 20

| 3

| 6

| 9

| 39

| 11

| 1

| 2

| 3

| 14

ALIGN="center"

| 2017–18

| San Diego Gulls

| AHL

| 54

| 7

| 13

| 20

| 66

| —

ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2018–19

| San Diego Gulls

| AHL

| 15

| 0

| 2

| 36

| —

ALIGN="center"

| 2018–19

| Toronto Marlies

| AHL

| 23

| 2

| 3

| 5

| 30

| 2

| 0

| 5

ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2019–20

| Toledo Walleye

| ECHL

| 36

| 1

| 14

| 15

| 62

| —

ALIGN="center"

| 2019–20

| EHC Black Wings Linz

| EBEL

| 8

| 1

| 0

| 1

| 4

| 3

| 1

| 2

| 3

| 6

ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2021–22

| Toledo Walleye

| ECHL

| 16

| 2

| 6

| 8

| 19

| —

ALIGN="center"

| 2021–22

| Orlando Solar Bears

| ECHL

| 28

| 1

| 6

| 7

| 44

| —

ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2022–23

| Orlando Solar Bears

| ECHL

| 4

| 2

| 1

| 3

| 0

| —

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="3" | NHL totals

! 73

! 3

! 17

! 20

! 110

! 7

! 0

! 1

! 4

InLine Hockey

Oleksy played with Team USA at the 2008 and 2009 IIHF Men's InLine Hockey World Championships.

References

External links

{{Ice hockey stats|nhl=8476162|elite=33848|espn=|euro=|hr=o/oleksst01|hockeydb=97820|legendsm=|legends=|legendstype=|tsn=}}

Category:1986 births

Category:Living people

Category:American men's ice hockey defensemen

Category:EHC Black Wings Linz players

Category:Bridgeport Sound Tigers players

Category:21st-century American sportsmen

Category:Hershey Bears players

Category:Ice hockey players from Michigan

Category:Idaho Steelheads (ECHL) players

Category:Lake Erie Monsters players

Category:Lake Superior State Lakers men's ice hockey players

Category:Las Vegas Wranglers players

Category:Sportspeople from Macomb County, Michigan

Category:Orlando Solar Bears (ECHL) players

Category:Pittsburgh Penguins players

Category:Port Huron Icehawks players

Category:San Diego Gulls (AHL) players

Category:Toledo Walleye players

Category:Toronto Marlies players

Category:Undrafted National Hockey League players

Category:Washington Capitals players

Category:Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins players