Travis Oleksuk

Hometown:

Thunder Bay Ontario

Team:

San Jose Sharks

Currently Playing In:

Pro

Birthday:

1989-02-03
Position:

C
Eligible for draft:

2007
Shoots:

Left
Drafted:
Height:

6-0
Acquired:

Free agent signing, 2012
Weight:

200 lbs.
Prospect Talent Score
7.0

About Prospect Talent Score and Probability of Success»

Probability of Success
  • D

History

2008-09: Oleksuk struggled to stay in the UMD line-up in his freshman season with the Bulldogs. After a good 2007-08 season for Sioux City in the USHL, he failed to score any goals, added just five assists and had a minus two rating in 18 NCAA games.

2009- 10: Oleksuk improve greatly in his sophomore season at UMD where the playmaking centerman scored five power play goals along with two game winning goals for the Bulldogs. He finished the season having scored ten goals along with 14 assists and a plus one rating in 33 NCAA games.

2010-11: Oleksuk started to become more of a two-way centerman in his junior year at UMD where the talent center scored three power play goals, one shorthanded tally and showed his ability to score important clutch goals with seven game winners. He finished the season having scored 14 goals along with 19 assists and an okay minus two rating in 42 NCAA games.

2011-12: Oleksuk was second to the 2012 Hobey Baker winner, Jack Connolly in points and second to his linemate, J.T Brown (TBL) in goals at the University of Minnesota-Duluth. The senior centerman showed a twenty point increase over last year’s offensive numbers when the team won the 2011 NCAA Championship. Oleksuk scored nine power play goals along with an improved plus 24 ratings this season while scoring some important goals (six game winning goals) down the stretch this season for the Bulldogs. He finished his final season at UMD having scored 21 goals along with 32 assists in 41 NCAA games. Oleksuk impressed the San Jose Sharks enough in his senior year to receive a free agent contract form the team on March 30, 2012.

 

Talent Analysis

Oleksuk is a offensively skilled centerman who can play at both ends of the rink, has lots of speed but can control the pace of play as a deception to the opposition. The two-way offensive talent has good balance, solid hockey sense and vision while having the ability to score important goals. He will need to add more strength and size to be effective at the NHL level.

 

Future

Oleksuk could make the Sharks' roster out of training camp if not he will most likely be a welcome addition to the Worchester Shark at the AHL level. If he plays well to start the year then it's possible that the talented centerman could be an injury replacement call-up to the NHL.

 

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