For immediate release
For more information, contact: Joel Silverberg, Director of Broadcasting (865) 525-7825, joel@knoxvilleicebears.com.
The Knoxville Ice Bears have signed forward Kolten Olynek for the 2026-27 season. Olynek enters his fifth full pro season and fourth in the SPHL. He spent the past two seasons for the Birmingham Bulls following a year in France, which succeeded his rookie campaign with Pensacola.
Last year, Olynek scored nine goals and had 17 points in 38 games for Birmingham. In his first season in Pelham, he notched his second career 20-goal campaign as he put up 30 points to help the Bulls to a President’s Cup semifinal appearance in 2024-25. As a rookie, he was a point-per-game player in Pensacola with 41 points in 41 games before serving stints in the ECHL with Allen and Toledo. He spent the 2023-24 campaign with Brest in France2, totaling 29 points in 26 games and has also appeared in 31 career ECHL games.
Olynek played collegiately at the University of Western Ontario, where he scored 24 goals and had 50 points in 86 games across four seasons. Prior to college, he spent five years in the WHL, appearing in 253 games for Lethbridge, Moose Jaw, Spokane, Prince Albert and Saskatoon.
The Ice Bears open their 25th anniversary season Friday, October 16 at home against Evansville at the Knoxville Civic Coliseum.
ABOUT The Knoxville Ice Bears: The Knoxville Ice Bears organization began in 2002 and was an inaugural charter member of the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL) in 2004. As four-time SPHL Champions and five-time regular season champions, the Ice Bears are an experienced and established organization, offering the city and its visitors a balanced product of highlight-reel hockey, unique and exciting intermission activity and endless fan interaction, presenting the most affordable, family-friendly way to enjoy sports and entertainment. Season, Partial Season and Flex Tickets are now on sale. For more information, visit www.knoxvilleicebears.com or call (865) 525-7825.
-xxx-
