SEATTLE — Eddie Olczyk thought back to his first-time experiences as a player, coach and broadcaster.
Now he can add Hockey Hall of Fame committee member.
“I couldn’t be more honored and humbled to be a part of the committee on my maiden voyage – I’m a rookie again,” the Seattle Kraken broadcaster laughed.
Olczyk and former Calgary Flames winger Jarome Iginla were tapped Tuesday to replace outgoing members David Branch and Mike Gartner – who both reached their 15-year term limit – beginning next year. Ron Francis was chosen to succeed Gartner as chair.
Olczyk has ties to both men.
“Both those guys are former roommates of mine,” he told the Tribune Thursday. “I played with Gartner with the (New York) Rangers, and I roomed with Ronnie when we played together at Pittsburgh. So just to be back on the so-called same team (together), I’m very humbled to get this opportunity.”
That’s not the only former connection that will come up on the job.
Olczyk said, “I have heard from people that called to text me, congratulated me. I’ve had people suggesting where I should start my nomination work, so to speak.”
The elephant in that particular room is Steve Larmer, a former Hawks winger who has been a longtime snub and the subject of many a Hall of Fame debate.
When asked about him, Olczyk said, “I’ve always loved Steve Larmer. I will always love Steve Larmer and I know what I feel of what he has meant to the game and the impact that he’s had. So I’ll leave it at that.”
As a former Hawks winger and color commentator during the team’s Stanley Cup dynasty of the 2010s, Olczyk will also have to judge the worthiness of several members of those teams for future induction: Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Duncan Keith and Corey Crawford, among them.
“When you look at the core of what happened with the Hawks between ‘10 and ‘16, a lot of those guys are coming up,” Olczyk said.
Calling Hawks games from the booth alongside Pat Foley, “I had the best seat in the house for seeing these guys play,” he said.
Olczyk said he’ll evaluate those players the same way he would for Larmer or any other candidate.
“All you can base it on is what you’ve seen. Where do these players match up not only, within their organization, but the league,” he said.
“I played with Larm on two different teams. I played with him with the Rangers when we won the Cup and I played with Larms when I was a young kid coming in as an 18-year-old. He’s always been one of the best two-way hockey players that I ever played with.”
Olczyk, a 2012 U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame inductee who has since served on its selection committee, said he’s not worried about bias.
“I’m going to have to learn that (impartiality) and I have done that with the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame,” he said. “That helped me.”
Olczyk added, “It’s going to be just about what I feel and what I know and have a strong opinion, one way or the other. So until I get into it, I probably will be less opinionated on how I’m going to go about it.
“But I think just learning and living it, eventually next year, and being a small part of it, will be a great learning tool for me.”
Itching for ivy
Olczyk took a break from his duties as Kraken color commentator to talk about the upcoming Winter Classic between the Hawks and St. Louis Blues at 4 p.m. on New Year’s Eve at Wrigley Field.
“We’ve got the game on TNT, so I’ll be there for that,” Olczyk told the Tribune during the first intermission of Thursday’s game. “It’ll be my second game at Wrigley because I did the first game with the late Dave Strader, who was filling in for Doc Emrick because Doc was sick.
“I’m looking forward to going back and being home for New Year’s and being able to call the Hawks and Blues game.”
Olczyk has called many an NHL outdoor game, but the first Wrigley game (Hawks versus Detroit Red Wings on Jan 1, 2009) and the Stadium Series at Soldier Field (Hawks versus Pittsburgh Penguins, Mar 1, 2014) hold a special place.
“Anytime I get a chance I can go back home and call a Hawks game or call a game back home, it’s always home. It’s always going to be home,” he said.
The Chicago native spent a lot of time at Wrigley as a kid.
“Look, I’m a Cubs fan, I always have been, I always will be, but to see the Hawks playing at Wrigley like I did that first time against the Red Wings, it was just amazing,” he said. “The experience of being outside and getting 40,000 people at the game and celebrating the grassroots of what it’s really all about, it’s always special.”
Olzyck said he gets asked which is his favorite outdoor game.
“You know, it’s Wrigley, one, and Soldier Field, two,” he said. “That’s where my heart is.”
