Two of the biggest moments in Ryan Olsen's hockey career didn't happen on the ice, but rather came in the classroom and on the family couch.
Fresh off his sophomore season in the Western Hockey League with the Saskatoon Blades, the 18-year-old was attending South Delta Secondary on May 3 when his phone rang. It was Blades general manager and head coach Lorne Molleken.
"I was in class and couldn't answer but I wasn't expecting to hear from him so I knew something must be up," recalled Olsen.
His instincts proved to be bang on.
The Blades had completed a draft day deal, sending him to the Kelowna Rockets for two players, including their leading scorer, Shane McColgan.
Olsen only had a few weeks to absorb the trade before thinking about the next potential chapter of his career. It was day two of the NHL entry draft in Pittsburgh and the 6foot2 centre was projected to be picked sometime in the later rounds. He had serious pre-draft discussions with scouts from several teams, including Chicago, Los Angeles and Toronto.
However, it was the Winnipeg Jets that selected him in the sixth round, 160th overall.
"That was the best day of my life," said Olsen.
"I was hoping I would be selected but there was no guarantee either. I was just with my family waiting to see what would happen when Winnipeg phoned me. It was a surprise because I hadn't really talked to them but so exciting too. It's something that you always had dreamed about and now it's happened."
Olsen was too sick to attend the Jets development camp in late June but hopes to be at his first NHL training camp early next month, if the current NHL labour dispute is resolved in time.
"With Olsen we're getting a big centreman that had a really good second half," said the Jets' general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff at the time of the draft.
"He's a 6foot2, two-way centreman that our scouts really liked the progression from the beginning to the end of the season."
Through his years growing up in the South Delta Minor Hockey system and even his one season in the B.C. Midget Hockey League with the Greater Vancouver Canadians, Olsen was noted for his goal scoring ability. He was 10th in league scoring with the Canadians three seasons ago, compiling a team best 47 points in 38 games, including 24 goals.
Since his move to major junior, Olsen has found his niche as a forward with more of a defensive responsibility. He spent much of last season centering the Blades' third line, which often led to a shutdown role.
He still showed his scoring touch to the tune of 15 goals and 32 points, especially during the second half of the season when he was inserted on the top line with veteran Josh Nichols, another South Delta alumni. He racked up 14 points in his final 10 games.
"In minor hockey, it was something that wasn't expected of me or I was asked to do," said Olsen of his defensive role. "At this level everyone is good and is looking for ice time so you better show you can play a defensive game too. It just got to the point where the coach trusted that part of my game where I could fill a certain role."
The Rockets will be expecting more scoring from him, as well as leadership, as a third-year WHL veteran.
"Ryan is the big two-way centre we have been looking for," said Rockets head coach Ryan Huska. "He has good offensive ability and we look forward to developing him into an important member of our hockey club."
Olsen admits the trade stirred plenty of emotions. He is thrilled to now be playing for a B.C. based team that is considered one of the top franchises in the WHL. He is much closer to home and his family will get to watch him on a regular basis with a weighted Western Conference schedule. However, he does have fond memories of his time in Saskatoon and playing for a club that will be hosting the 2013 Memorial Cup.
"It really was an unreal two years," he said. "I met a lot of good people and my billets were great. They were a great organization to play for and now I'm going to be playing for another that is much closer to home. It's very exciting."
Having just graduated from SDSS in June, Olsen will be focusing only on hockey this fall for the first time in his career.
"It's going to give me a chance to work on a lot of things that I normally don't get a chance to," added Olsen, who will be reunited with Penticton native Carter Rigby in Kelowna, a former Team B.C. teammate.
