For Jamie Oleksiak, who grew up in the Toronto Beach neighbourhood, the American Hockey League (AHL) post season brought with it a lot of positives – literally.
The 21-year-old, 6’7" Texas Stars defender led the plus-minus category – which measures the differential between goals for and against that a player is on the ice for – for the AHL post season with a plus-13 in 21 playoff games.
Of course, it goes without saying the top positive for him was the AHL Calder Cup playoff hockey championship, which the Stars won in five games over the St. John’s IceCaps. The series was a lot closer than the 4-1 series differential would indicate with the final four games decided by one goal (and the final three going into overtime).
Olesksiak contributed five assists. In the regular season, in 69 games, he was a plus-eight and contributed 23 points (5 goals, 18 assists).
He’s looking to stick with the parent Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League of which he played seven games this season (no points, and a minus-three) and 16 games the previous season (two assists, and a minus-five).
Despite his hockey success, Oleksiak definitely has to share the accolades around the family dinner table in the Beach.
Little sister Peggy Oleksiak is a top nationally ranked youth swimmer. In fact, Swimming Canada’s website has her down as top ranked this season in the country in more than a dozen categories at the 13 year old age level.
Hayley Oleksiak, meanwhile, a Malvern Collegiate grad, helped her Northeastern University rowing team to a top-20 finish at the U.S. collegiate rowing championships this past spring.