The Blackhawks will honor television color analyst and former player Eddie Olczyk with “One More Shift” prior to Sunday’s home game against the Minnesota Wild.
Olczyk, who battled Stage 3 colon cancer last season, announced in March that he was officially “cancer-free” after undergoing treatments for several months. The “One More Shift” skate corresponds with the NHL’s “Hockey Fights Cancer” night.
The Blackhawks’ “One More Shift” program is an ode to former players that allows fans to recognize them one more time as they skate on the United Center ice. Olczyk will take the ice during the national anthem after starting lineups are announced. In-arena elements will also feature highlights of his career with the Blackhawks, which started in 1984 when he was drafted third overall.
Olczyk played five seasons with his hometown team (1984-87; 1998-2000), scoring 209 points (77 goals, 132 assists) in 322 games. In his 16-year NHL career, he recorded 794 points in 1,031 games with the Blackhawks, Maple Leafs, Jets, Rangers, Kings and Penguins. He won the Stanley Cup in 1994 with the Rangers and was inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in October 2012.
Chicago has honored several former players with “One More Shift,” including Bryan Bickell, Eric Daze, Troy Murray, Al Secord and the late Stan Mikita last season.