ECHL: Jacksonville Icemen Add Veteran Defenseman Steve Oleksy

Oleksy’s career began at Lake Superior State, where he played 113 NCAA games and posted 20 points while logging heavy defensive minutes — including a career-best 9 assists as a senior. His physical edge showed early, finishing with 110 penalty minutes over his final two seasons.

He made his first ECHL impact with Idaho, producing a strong two-year run highlighted by a 21-point season in 2010–11 (7 goals, 14 assists) and 134 penalty minutes. Idaho also leaned on him in the postseason, where he appeared in eight playoff games that same year.

Steady Production and Leadership in the AHL

Oleksy’s most consistent stretch came in the AHL, where he appeared in more than 450 games. With Hershey, he posted back-to-back double-digit assist seasons and wore the “C” during the 2014–15 campaign. His best AHL offensive year came in 2015–16 with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, where he put up 19 points in 63 games while finishing +8 and adding 123 penalty minutes. He also appeared in 9 playoff games that spring.

His time with Toronto and San Diego added even more depth, including a 20-point season with the Gulls in 2017–18 and a combined 11 playoff games with the Marlies during their 2016–17 run.

NHL Experience With Washington and Pittsburgh

Oleksy totaled 73 NHL games, most of them with the Washington Capitals. He posted four goals and 19 points across parts of three seasons, with his best stretch coming in 2013–14 when he recorded two goals and 8 assists in 33 games.

His stop with the Pittsburgh Penguins included 11 NHL games in 2016–17, but his bigger impact was in Wilkes-Barre, where he wore an “A,” played top-four defensive minutes, and was a trusted penalty-killer during multiple playoff pushes.

ECHL Return and Late-Career Production

When Oleksy returned to the ECHL in 2019–20 with Toledo, he stepped in as the kind of steady, play-driving defender coaches rely on during long stretches of the season. He put up 15 points in 36 games and logged significant special-teams minutes, showing he could still dictate pace and possession from the back end.

After a brief stint overseas, he came back to the league in 2021–22, splitting the season between Toledo and Orlando. Across those two stops, Oleksy continued to provide reliable puck movement, physical edge, and veteran structure, finishing with 15 points in 44 games.

Even late in his career, he remained the same defender he’d been at every level: poised under pressure, hard on pucks, and willing to take on difficult minutes without hesitation.

Oleksy brings one of the most extensive resumes in the Icemen locker room, with 73 NHL games, more than 400 AHL appearances, nearly 200 games in the ECHL, and time overseas. Known for his physical edge, leadership presence, and ability to steady a pairing at any level, Oleksy arrives in Jacksonville as a proven veteran capable of anchoring tough minutes and guiding a young defensive group.