STEELHEADS SIGN FORMER COLORADO AVALANCHE FORWARD MARK OLVER TO AN ECHL CONTRACT

BOISE, ID – The Idaho Steelheads (@Steelheads), proud ECHL (@ECHL) affiliate of the Dallas Stars (@DallasStars), and Steelheads Head Coach & Director of Hockey Operations Everett Sheen announced today that the club has signed forward Mark Olver to an ECHL contract for the 2024-25 season.

Olver, 36, enters his 15^th professional season, first with Idaho, with a very extensive and successful resume. Originally drafted by the Colorado Avalanche in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, 5^th round, 140^th overall, he played 74 NHL games from 2010-13 collecting 22 points (10G, 12A). The 5-foot-10, 183lb left-handed shooter appeared in 180 AHL games with Colorado’s affiliate, Lake Erie Monsters, from 2010-14 recording 122 points (48G, 74A) and was named to the AHL All-Star Game during the 2010-11 season. 

After the 2013-14 season, the Burnaby, British Columbia native played two seasons overseas before returning to the AHL for the 2016-17 season splitting time with the Tucson Roadrunners and Bakersfield Condors. Most recently Olver has spent the last seven seasons playing in Germany’s top league, DEL, where he helped lead Eisbären Berlin to a league championship in 2021. He spent his first four years playing with Eisbären Berlin (2017-21) and then three seasons with Kölner Haie (2021-24) collectively skating in 246 games registering 132 points (47G, 85A). 

Prior to professional hockey, Olver played three seasons at Northern Michigan University from 2007-10 amassing 122 career points (56G, 66A) in 119 games as he led the Wildcats each year in scoring. He was named to the CCHA All-Rookie Team in 2007-08 and was a CCHA First All-Star Team, NCAA (West) First All-American Team, and a Hobey Baker Finalist. He played two seasons of junior hockey in the United States Hockey League (USHL) with the Omaha Lancers from 2005-07 collecting 89 points (34G, 55A) in 116 games. 

Mark Olver is the son of former Steelheads Head Coach, John Olver, who led Idaho to their first ECHL Kelly Cup Championship in 2004. Olver spent five seasons in Boise from 2000-05 and is the winningest coach in franchise history with a regular season record of 228-100-2-18. 

Mark Olver Regular Season Professional Totals
NHL: 74 games, 22 points (10G, 12A)
DEL: 282 games, 148 points (54G, 94A)
AHL: 230 games, 142 points (54G, 88A)

The Idaho Steelheads open the 2024-25 season in Boise at the Idaho Central Arena on October 18th vs. the Utah Grizzlies. Call the Steelheads Front Office at 208-383-0080 for ticket packages for the upcoming season. Stay up to date with all things Steelheads on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.