Daniel John Olesevich was born in Port Colborne, Ontario on August 16, 1937. Danny played Jr. B with the Burlington franchise in the OHA’s Central Junior Hockey League beginning in the 1953-54 season. In the spring of 1957, he left the Industrials in the OHA Sutherland Cup playdowns. While at Burlington he signed a ‘C’ Form with the Detroit Red Wings. While playing Jr. B, he also served as the backup goaltender for the Wings Jr. A affiliate, the Hamilton Tiger Cubs. He appeared in eight Jr. A games with Hamilton over three seasons.
After attending the Detroit Red Wings training camp in the fall of 1957, he was assigned to the Edmonton Oil Kings for his last season of junior eligibility. Olesevich earned league MVP honours. He also appeared in pre-season games as well as two regular season matches with the Wings’ Western Hockey League affiliate, the Edmonton Flyers.
After retiring he assumed duties as an assistant trainer and equipment manager, as well as an emergency backup goalie for all the Wings home games. On October 21, 1962 he was called upon to replace the injured New York Rangers goalie. Olesevich, playing against his own Red Wings teammates, allowed two goals in a 4-4 tie. Within minutes of skating off the ice in a Rangers sweater, he was back in the Wings dressing room, packing their gear for a road trip.
Outside the dressing room Olesevich was a founding member of the Society for Professional Hockey Equipment Managers (SPHEM) and of the Professional Hockey Athletic Trainers Society (PHATS). In 1996 he became the first member of the SPHEM to be honoured with a plaque in the special area created for hockey trainers and equipment managers at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.
