Kohen Olischefski is nothing if not enthusiastic. His zeal for hockey and Denver is only topped by his enthusiasm about his family and friends.

He came to DU last season after averaging a point per game in two seasons of junior hockey with Chilliwack of the BCHL and finishing sixth in the league in scoring in 2016-17. He heated up as last season wore on, finishing with seven goals – tied with Ryan Barrow for most among Pioneers freshmen – among his 11 points.

He’s provided plenty of lineup versatility this season, one of many things he takes in stride. One thing became very clear during my recent conversation with the DU sophomore forward – if you need a pick-me-up or a laugh, he’s your man.

It’s time to get to No. 12.

Tell us a little bit about your hockey background.

I grew up in Abbottsford, British Columbia. My dad (Kirk) played but no one’s ever really gone too far with it. There’s a definite passion for it in my family from a long time back. It’s pretty cool for me to be here representing all of them because they didn’t have an opportunity like this. It’s exciting for them to get to see this every time they come visit – grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, cousins – especially with the new facilities. It’s cool they get to experience this through me a little bit.

I would imagine DU’s new locker room and facilities for hockey have been pretty well received?

Yes, it’s something else. We already were one of the best programs in the country, and then we get this. It’s just crazy. We’re so lucky to have it. It’s like a dream come true.

What were the appeals of Denver when you were considering your college hockey options?

A lot of things. I love where it is. My family gets to come down all the time. They barely miss a game coming from B.C. I don’t think I’d get that anywhere else. Obviously the program is unbelievable, the coaches are awesome. There’s a great support system – the school is great and the people are great. The amount of relationships I’ve built here is fantastic. I’m so happy to be here.

Have there been parts of Denver or Colorado you’ve particularly enjoyed?

There are tons of cool things. It’s similar to B.C. in a sense in that there’s a lot of things to do outdoors, like going to Red Rocks, whether it’s hiking or seeing a concert there for the first time, it was unbelievable. Going to Boulder. There’s so much to do and see, and I haven’t even seen a fraction of it yet so I’m excited to explore more of it.

Do you have any hobbies you enjoy?

I like to golf, and this is a good place to do that. We’ve got a big group of guys who like to do that. That’s always a good time, just being outside and enjoying it. In the winter we’ll play our video games and just lay a little lower during the season. There’s two different worlds to explore in the winter vs. the summer. I can’t do it now, but maybe one day I’ll get to explore skiing.

When you were growing up did you have a favorite team or player?

The Vancouver Canucks have always been my team. They’re a tough team to still cheer for. There’s been some heartaches. Markus Naslund was always my favorite player. He was so unbelievable, just a blast to watch.

Are there any notable cooks on the team?

Yeah Durf (Jake Durflinger) likes to cook. He’s a pretty good cook. Griff (Griffin Mendel) is my other roommate, and he’s a little less skilled in that area. Durf’s always cooking something weird or something we haven’t seen before, but he’s a good cook. He’s taught me a few things, which is nice because you get sick of eating chicken and rice every night.

That begs the question, what is the breakfast of champions?

That depends. If I’m at home and my mom is cooking breakfast it’s a lot different than if I’m here. Sometimes if I get a little inspiration I’ll cook eggs benedict. That’s probably my favorite meal, but I don’t do it as well as a restaurant or my mom.

Are there any comedians on the team that we should know about? I ask because your name has come up a few times.

I’m a bit of a goof, as is Fins (Liam Finlay). He and I definitely feed off of each other, doing stupid stuff. There’s a lot of guys. Our locker room is pretty light-hearted, guys are always joking around. It’s nice because I’m not a huge fan of being super serious or super locked in all of the time. It’s good to laugh a lot and smile with the guys. … There’s a lot of sarcasm and back and forth chirping, but it’s all in good fun.

What are you studying here?

I’m still undecided on my major, but I’m considering real estate, finance or accounting. Those are my top options and I have to decide that in the next couple of weeks.

The Pioneers are on the road this weekend, and I wondered if there has been a road trip or two that you’ve particularly enjoyed since you’ve gotten to DU?

There’s been a lot of good road trips. Every time we go to North Dakota, it’s always fun to play there. Boston last year was really fun, playing BU and BC was really cool. That’s something you always want to do when you play college hockey because there’s a lot of history there. Miami was fun last year, just a cool place to play. Western Michigan actually is the toughest place to play, but it’s something else to see. Those fans are nuts. It’s on a smaller scale, but they’re right on top of you. Hopefully we’ll find more success there in coming years.

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