Some of those assists have been after he's skated the puck into the offensive zone, while others have been quick and accurate passes that have set up chances for his Kraken teammates. He's recorded nine assists on the season to go with one goal.
"I wouldn't say they're the greatest assists ever," Oleksiak said. "It's a matter of moving the puck and the guys do the job, the rest of it. It's obviously very nice to contribute. We've got to keep improving as a team moving forward."
Being able to move the puck and contribute to Seattle's offense doesn't mean that Oleksiak has let up on the physical side of things.
He has thrown 72 hits, which is second to only Brandon Tanev for the Kraken lead, and many of those hits have been memorable. They have been heavy hits, the kind of hits that sparks a reaction from the crowd, and the Seattle bench.
There's an art to throwing a perfect hit. Oleksiak acknowledges that a player can't focus too much on running around looking for hits. The opposition will take advantage of that and move the puck with ease. The timing is key.
Despite his size advantage, Oleksiak's big hits have been clean, and he's mastered the art of hitting hard but not having it cost his team by going shorthanded.
"It just kind of comes with experience, knowing when a guy's vulnerable or what the situation is," he said. "The game happens so fast that things happen, but I think for the most part, I'm not necessarily looking for the big blow-up hit. I'm looking for the end to the play for the guy on the wall and to try and move the puck up to a forward. It's just a matter of being smart about it and not trying to be too overly aggressive."
Oleksiak has been smart this season and is giving the Kraken a dual threat on the back end. He'll hit and defend his own end while being able to move the puck and help get Seattle's offense moving.
Seattle has needed it, especially over the last six games while captain and fellow defenseman Mark Giordano has been in the NHL's COVID-19 protocol. Giordano was logging over 20 minutes of ice time for the Kraken and his presence has been missed.
Oleksiak has helped fill the void and is up over 19 minutes per game. The entire defensive group has stepped in and played well to make up for what Oleksiak referred to as "a big hole" in the lineup.
"Especially in things like power play and PK and whatnot," he said regarding Giordano. "He's a very effective, all-around player. So, it's tough but I think that's just kind of the business you know, you go to be the next guy up. You've got to be ready to go and I think we're fortunate we have a lot of D-men that can play."
Like the Kraken overall, Oleksiak has been playing his best hockey over the past six games. He says there was no magic button that the team pushed, but by sticking to their identity and game plan, the results have turned to Seattle's side.
"I think early on in the season we were playing well, just the results were not coming," Oleksiak said. "We were getting frustrated and maybe trying to do too much sometimes. I think right now we're working as a five-man unit. As a D-man, the past two, three games have been really easy just because the forwards come back and they're in great positions and we're all working for each other. You see the results from it, and I think we've just got to keep that mentality."
