Career
Role: Enforcer
He played as a left winger in the National Hockey League. Nicknamed "The Polish Hammer" and from GKS Tychy youth system, Krzysztof Oliwa was drafted 65th overall in the 1993 National Hockey League Entry Draft by the New Jersey Devils. Injuries prevented Oliwa from participating in the 2000 playoffs.
He later played for the Columbus Blue Jackets, Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Rangers, Boston Bruins and the Calgary Flames.
He signed with the New Jersey Devils as a free agent after the 2003-2004 season. During the 2005-2006 season, Oliwa was waived by the Devils and demoted to the minor league team in Albany.
However, he chose not to report. He retired at the end of the 2005-2006 season, taking the reins of the Polish National Hockey Program.
Since 2014, Oliwa has been a head coach of Kalkaska Rhinos Junior Hockey Team, currently competing in the United States Premier Hockey League, an American Tier III Junior A ice hockey league.