Steven Oleksy — a man who I once publicly challenged to a game of racquetball (and he accepted) — is making world headlines.
TMZ reported on Saturday that the popular, former Washington Capitals and Hershey Bears defenseman married Brooke Hogan, Hulk Hogan’s daughter, in a private ceremony in Orlando, FL on June 8, 2022.
In TMZ’s title, Oleksy is not referred to by name, but instead called a “Pro Hockey Player.” (Steve, you’re famous enough in these parts to be the lede!)
TMZ adds that during Steven and Brooke’s initial ceremony in 2022, there were no guests, but the couple held a reception for Oleksy’s side of the family this December in Michigan.
Both Oleksy and Hogan have kept their relationship private with neither posting photos with each other on Instagram.
Oleksy was first introduced to Hogan through mutual friends. The rearguard played parts of the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons with the ECHL’s Orlando Solar Bears, tallying 10 points (3g, 10a) in 32 games. The 37-year-old has not played this season.
Hogan runs her own interior design firm entitled BB Designs By Brooke located in Nashville, TN. She is also a musician who has released two albums and posted a new single entitled Don’t Know It Yet last week.
Hogan also briefly followed in her father’s footsteps, participating in a WWE storyline in 2006 and serving as an onscreen authority figure for TNA from 2012 through 2013.
Oleksy’s settling down comes as his professional hockey career, spanning 14 different seasons on 14 different teams, appears to have come to a close. The rearguard spent three seasons with the Washington Capitals from 2012-2015. He became a local legend due to his tough play and fearlessness as well as his personality and kindness with fans.
He openly spoke to RMNB about his nickname, Binky, in 2013.
“When I was younger, I was sick and I was in the hospital quite a bit,” Oleksy said. “I called my pacifier my binky, and every time I started crying the nurses would tell my mom to put my binky in. She started calling me that, and then the kids at school caught on, and it just kind of grew with me.
“That’s been my nickname my whole life growing up, and it’s stuck with me all the way through every level of hockey I’ve played,” he added. “People find out and it catches on. A lot of people back home don’t even know me by my real name, they know me by Binky. It’s kind of stuck with me through the years. It’s not something that I try to hide from.”
While with the Hershey Bears, Oleksy revealed that he initially missed the phone call for his first NHL call-up due to being at a movie theatre. He was watching Jack the Giant Slayer with roommate Mike Carman.
“There wasn’t much to pick from at the CocoaPlex,” Carman responded.
“We’re both big movie guys,” Oleksy added. “So you run out of options pretty quick.”
While with the Capitals, Oleksy registered his first NHL point in his first NHL game with his parents in attendance. During that stint, he nailed Claude Giroux with an open-ice hit and then fought Jake Voracek blind after his jersey was pulled over his head.
Oleksy scored his first NHL goal against the New York Rangers on March 10, 2013.
“I don’t score a lot of goals so every one’s nice,” Oleksy said after the game. “I don’t really know what to say. I’m just kind of the kid living the dream right now.”
Oleksy was a feared fighter, dropping the gloves 32 different times while a member of the Capitals organization.
He was also a character, once taking a photo with a young Tom Wilson when the right wing had hair like Uncle Jesse from Full House.
“@tom_wilso has wicked salad. #Stamos #UncleJesse #FullHouse” he wrote.
He also managed to meet Michael Phelps and Jeff Gordon during his time in DC.
Oleksy was just as memorable in Hershey. He scored the Teddy Bear Toss goal in 2014 and would serve as the Bears’ captain that season.
A photo of him still hangs in a stairwell at Giant Center that Hershey media must travel down for postgame interviews.
Oleksy would leave the Capitals organization and sign with the Pittsburgh Penguins (not the Pens) in 2015 and was a Black Ace for the Penguins’ Stanley Cup championship team in 2016. In fact, his first sip of alcohol came out of the Stanley Cup that year.
At 30 years old I had my first sip of alcohol from the only cup I'll ever drink out of. Honored to be a part of it! pic.twitter.com/8XOrEEzI2E
— Steven Oleksy (@StevenOleksy) June 13, 2016
Oleksy would make stops with the Toronto Marlies (AHL), San Diego Gulls (AHL), Toledo Walleye (ECHL), Black Wings Linz (ICEHL), and Orlando Solar Bears.
Last March, he returned to Hershey where he met up with Bears’ PR man Jesse Liebman, who formerly worked with the Solar Bears.
Never was good at taking impromptu selfies but 🤷♂️
How’s this for a serendipitous moment: running into a player from two stops in my career – recently-retired Hershey Bears captain/former Orlando Solar Bears defenseman Steven Oleksy in downtown Hershey! pic.twitter.com/MbqViMMYmU
— Jesse Liebman (@TheJesseLiebman) March 9, 2023
From everyone at RMNB, we are so happy for you, Steve. Though don’t think just because you moved down to Orlando and are all big-time famous right now means that you can escape our racquetball challenge. You will and must be humbled.
(But in all seriousness, congratulations!)
January 1, 2024 Update: Oleksy and Hogan have gone public with their relationship, confirming the reports of their marriage.
Oleksy writes:
I value privacy on a deep level, but I guess some secrets are just too amazing to hide forever. Somehow the news got out, so I just wanted to thank everyone for the support and love they’ve shown to me and my wife. Especially the journalists who chose positivity and kindness when writing about us. 🙏
.
So here she is: The strongest, hardest working, incredibly talented, and most authentic person I’ve ever encountered. She embraces a pure love for everyone. Unaffected by surroundings, she lives by a moral code rooted in love, honesty, and compassion-not materialism. Preferring real over fake and forced. She enhances not only my life but so many others around her.
.
We’re gonna stay as low key as possible, but we are proud of our marriage and loving the journey we are on. ❤️ @mizzhogan
Hogan, who is now going by Brooke Oleksy, writes:
A rare sighting of the husband. We like to keep to ourselves, but somehow the news is out. 🤷🏼♀️
So here he is, people: The kindest, sweetest badass you’ll ever meet. I’m really lucky. God did me a solid on this one❤️Thank you for all the kind words of celebration and encouragement. We feel so blessed. Thank you for being kind. ☺️
Now back to our regularly scheduled privacy. 😎😎
Headline photo via my pal Jess
