Who is Eddie Olczyk? All about one of the finalists for Philadelphia Flyers' President's position

Eddie Olczyk is a well-known name in the world of ice hockey. Born on August 16, 1966, in Chicago, Olczyk played for several NHL teams during his 16-year career. These teams include 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. His impressive record of 342 goals and 452 assists in 1,031 NHL games led to his induction into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in 2013.

After retiring from playing in 2000, Olczyk transitioned to broadcasting, serving as a television color commentator for NHL on NBC until its end in 2021. He currently commentates on TNT and on Seattle Kraken games for Root Sports Northwest. He is also the Horse Racing Handicapper and analyst for NBC's Horse Racing Coverage.

Eddie Olczyk also has coaching experience, having served as the head coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins from June 2003 to December 2005. However, he only oversaw 113 games due to the 2004-05 lockout and was fired 31 games into the following campaign. He then returned to broadcasting, where he has worked for NBC, Versus, and TNT.

Recently, Eddie Olczyk has been in the news as one of the finalists for the Philadelphia Flyers' President of Hockey Operations position, which is lying vacant.

He is up against Keith Jones, a former Flyers player who is currently the lead color commentator for the club's games on NBC Sports Philadelphia, and serves on TNT's national broadcasts.

The Flyers fired Chuck Fletcher in March after four-plus seasons in the position. His general manager duties were handed to Daniel Briere, who is expected to keep the job after initially receiving an interim tag.

The Flyers have also interviewed several other candidates for the position, including John Chayka, Scott Mellanby, Chris Pronger, and Doug Wilson. Philadelphia finished seventh in the Metropolitan Division this season and missed the playoffs for the third consecutive year.

A look at Eddie Olczyk's family, career, and triumph over cancer

Eddie Olczyk

Eddie Olczyk is a former professional ice hockey player, coach, and current television studio analyst for the Seattle Kraken. He is a devoted husband to his wife, Diana, and proud father of four children - three sons who are former hockey players, and a daughter who attended the University of Alabama.

Nick, Eddie's eldest son, played for the Colorado College Tigers and followed in his father's footsteps to become a television studio analyst for the Seattle Kraken in 2022.

Tom, another one of Eddie's sons, played hockey at Penn State and most recently played professionally for the Indy Fuel of the ECHL and the Rockford IceHogs of the AHL.

Eddie III, the youngest of Eddie's sons, spent a season with the Bloomington Thunder of the SPHL. He has been an assistant coach with the Bemidji State Beavers and is currently an amateur scout for the Kraken.

Eddie's brother, Rick Olczyk, is a former hockey player for Brown University and currently serves as an assistant general manager for the Kraken. The Olczyk family's love for hockey runs deep, with many family members involved in various roles within the sport.

In 2017, Eddie Olczyk was diagnosed with a form of colon cancer and underwent surgery to remove the tumor. He shared his journey with the public and his fans, raising awareness about the importance of early detection and the potential for successful treatment. In 2018, Eddie announced that he was officially cancer-free.