Themen der Woche - Sport Bilder des Tages - SPORT 170614 Pittsburgh Penguins Sidney Crosby lifts the Stanley Cup during the Stanley Cup victory parade on June 14, 2017 in Pittsburgh. PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxONLY Copyright: VINCENTxPUGLIESE BB170614BB073 Topics the Week Sports Images the Day Sports 170614 Pittsburgh Penguins Sidney Crosby Lifts The Stanley Cup during The Stanley Cup Victory Parade ON June 14 2017 in Pittsburgh PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxONLY Copyright VINCENTxPUGLIESE
Themen der Woche - Sport Bilder des Tages - SPORT 170614 Pittsburgh Penguins Sidney Crosby lifts the Stanley Cup during the Stanley Cup victory parade on June 14, 2017 in Pittsburgh. PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxONLY Copyright: VINCENTxPUGLIESE BB170614BB073 Topics the Week Sports Images the Day Sports 170614 Pittsburgh Penguins Sidney Crosby Lifts The Stanley Cup during The Stanley Cup Victory Parade ON June 14 2017 in Pittsburgh PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxONLY Copyright VINCENTxPUGLIESE
Despite his short NHL career, veteran defenseman Steven Oleksy lived hockey in such a way that most can only dream of.
Imagine playing alongside two of hockey's greatest icons, Alex Ovechkin and Sydney Crosby, over just 4 NHL seasons you played. That was Oleksy’s reality when he signed up for the Washington Capitals in 2012-13 and the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016-17. Needless to say, the experience was phenomenal.
“If you could handpick two organizations to play for, everybody would probably select those two," Oleksy said, according to The Hockey News writer Sammi Silber, published on July 16, 2026. "It's incredible being able to play with (Ovi) and Sid, two very different people and players."
Bilder des Tages - SPORT Eishockey, WM Spiel um Platz 3, Russland - USA 160522 Rysslands Alexander Ovechkin far bronsmedaljen efter bronsmatchen i Ishockey-VM mellan Ryssland och USA den 22 maj 2016 i Moskva. PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxONLY Copyright: LUDVIGxTHUNMAN BB160522LT036 Images the Day Sports Ice hockey World Cup Game to square 3 Russia USA 160522 Rysslands Alexander Ovechkin Far efter bronsmatchen I Ishockey VM Periods Ryssland och USA the 22 Maj 2016 I Moskva PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxONLY Copyright LUDVIGxTHUNMAN
Bilder des Tages - SPORT Eishockey, WM Spiel um Platz 3, Russland - USA 160522 Rysslands Alexander Ovechkin far bronsmedaljen efter bronsmatchen i Ishockey-VM mellan Ryssland och USA den 22 maj 2016 i Moskva. PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxONLY Copyright: LUDVIGxTHUNMAN BB160522LT036 Images the Day Sports Ice hockey World Cup Game to square 3 Russia USA 160522 Rysslands Alexander Ovechkin Far efter bronsmatchen I Ishockey VM Periods Ryssland och USA the 22 Maj 2016 I Moskva PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxONLY Copyright LUDVIGxTHUNMAN
In 2013, 27-year-old Oleksy signed with the Capitals. Over three seasons, he appeared in 62 games, scoring 3 goals and 19 points. Modest numbers, but enough time to witness greatness.
“There's not a pure goal scorer that I've ever seen in any era that compares to him, and somebody who just loves the game of hockey,” Oleksy added, per the same segment by Silber. “I think from a grassroots level, it's players like that that people should latch onto.”
Oleksy's Pittsburgh tenure was split between the AHL's Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and the NHL roster. Mainly, he was still part of their Stanley Cup roster in 2016, even appearing in 11 games. Again, enough time to see Crosby from up close.
"Sid's one of the best human beings I've ever met," Oleksy added. "I walk in after getting off the ice, and Sidney Crosby's dishing up drinks to everybody from the Stanley Cup. I wish I would've embraced it more; the tiniest bit touched my lips, and that was it.”
So, Steven Oleksy lived both the lives many would hope for. But in the meantime, where did his heart truly lie?
Steven Oleksy Considered DC Home
The Penguins' consecutive Stanley Cup victories in 2016 and 2017 surely made Oleksy happy. But the then-30-year-old would’ve liked it more had his former NHL team, the Capitals, lifted the cup, led by Ovechkin.
“You feel guilty, you feel sad, you feel bad because it's not with the people that you came up with and the people that were so special with," Oleksy added, per Silber. "My first year in Pittsburgh, they treated me great, and it was awesome. But we had such a special thing in D.C.”
So, watching Washington win the cup in 2018 was a bigger delight for Oleksy, despite being long away from the club and the roster. This proved again that Hockey is more than a game played on ice.
Moving forward, can you recall any similar stories like these? Let us know in the comments.
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Written by
Deblina Roy