Krzysztof Oliwa facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Krzysztof Oliwa
Born	(1973-04-12) April 12, 1973 (age 52) Tychy, Poland
Height	6 ft 5 in (196 cm)
Weight	245 lb (111 kg; 17 st 7 lb)
Position	Left Wing
Shot	Left
Played for	GKS Katowice GKS Tychy New Jersey Devils Columbus Blue Jackets Pittsburgh Penguins New York Rangers Boston Bruins Calgary Flames Podhale Nowy Targ
National team	Poland
NHL Draft	65th overall, 1993 New Jersey Devils
Playing career	1993–2006

Krzysztof Artur Oliwa (born April 12, 1973) is a former professional ice hockey player from Poland. He played as a left winger for eight seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL). Krzysztof is the only player from Poland to have his name on the Stanley Cup. He won this famous trophy as a member of the New Jersey Devils team in 2000.

Playing Ice Hockey

Krzysztof Oliwa was known as "the Polish Hammer" because he was a big and strong player. Standing 6 feet 5 inches tall, he was an enforcer on the ice. This meant his job was to protect his teammates and make sure opponents didn't take unfair shots. He even played alongside hockey legend Mario Lemieux, helping to protect him on the ice.

Early Years in Poland

Krzysztof was born in Tychy, Poland. He started playing hockey in the youth system of GKS Tychy. He played one season in the Polish Junior League with Katowice. He also joined the Polish Under-18 team for a European championship. Later, he moved up to the senior Tychy team in the Polish League for the 1991-92 season. Krzysztof was also part of the Polish national junior team for a big tournament in 1992. During his teenage years in Poland, he worked full-time in a coal mine. After work, he would go to hockey practice every day.

Moving to North America

Krzysztof dreamed of playing in the NHL. To get ready for the North American style of play, he moved to Canada. He played the 1992-93 season for the Welland Flames junior team.

NHL Career and the Stanley Cup

The New Jersey Devils picked Krzysztof 65th overall in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft. He joined the Devils' minor league teams from 1993 to 1997. Krzysztof played his first NHL game on March 9, 1997. He became a full-time player for the Devils in the 1997-98 season. He played three full seasons with the team.

In the 1999-2000 season, the Devils won the Stanley Cup. Just before the playoffs, Krzysztof had a serious knee injury. Even though the team wanted him to play, he decided to have surgery. This meant he couldn't play in the 2000 playoffs. However, he played enough games during the regular season to have his name carved onto the Stanley Cup. This made him the first player born and trained in Poland to achieve this honor.

Playing for Other Teams

After winning the Stanley Cup, Krzysztof was traded to the new Columbus Blue Jackets team in June 2000. He only played ten games there before breaking his arm. He was then traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins to finish that season. Krzysztof played a second season for the Penguins before being traded to the New York Rangers.

His time with the Rangers was short. He was suspended for two games after a fight on the ice. After his suspension, he was sent to the Rangers' minor league team. In January 2003, Krzysztof was traded to the Boston Bruins. He played 33 games for them. As a free agent, he joined the Calgary Flames for the 2003-04 season.

He signed with the Devils again in 2004. However, the NHL had a lockout that season, so Krzysztof played a season in Poland. After the lockout, in the 2005-06 season, the Devils decided to release him. Krzysztof did not play in the NHL again and retired at the end of that season.

Coaching Career

After retiring from playing, Krzysztof Oliwa became the head coach of the Polish National Hockey Program for one season. Later, he owned, managed, and coached the USPHL Kalkaska Rhinos junior hockey team. He also coached and was the general manager for the Walnut Grove Wolverines in a Canadian junior league.

Awards and Honors