Victor Oreskovich

Victor J. Oreskovich (born August 15, 1986) is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger currently playing with the the Vancouver Canucks in the National Hockey League (NHL).

Amateur career
Oreskovich played minor hockey with the Oakville Rangers of the OMHA SCTA League, winning two provincial rep championships with the club. Following minor, Oreskovich was drafted in the 6th round by the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), but he joined the Junior A ranks to maintain his eligibility for college hockey in the United States. He played the 2002–03 season with the Milton Icehawks of the Ontario Provincial Junior Hockey League (OPJHL), before joining the Green Bay Gamblers of the United States Hockey League (USHL) the following year. He recorded 37 points in 58 games and was named to the 2004 USHL All-Star Game. Following his season with the Gamblers, Oreskovich was selected in the second round, 55th overall, of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft by the Colorado Avalanche.

Recruited to play college hockey with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA), Oreskovich joined the club following his draft on a $42,000 annual scholarship. He struggled in his freshman year, recording three points in 37 games. With aspirations to turn professional sooner, he left Notre Dame nine games into his sophomore year to join the OHL, where his major junior rights had been traded on November 24, 2005, from Windsor to the Kitchener Rangers. Kitchener was Oreskovich's desired destination to play major junior, as his best friend and former minor hockey teammate Evan McGrath starred with the Rangers. In December 2005, he debuted with the Rangers, scoring goals in his first three games. He went on to record 16 points over 19 games for the remainder of the 2005–06 season.

Oreskovich attended the Avalanche's training camp for the 2006–07, where he was among the first cuts re-assigned back to junior. Returning to the Rangers for a second season, he finished second in team scoring with 28 goals and 60 points in 62 games.

Professional career
The following off-season, on July 7, 2007, Oreskovich was signed to a two-year, entry level contract by the Colorado Avalanche. He returned for his second Avalanche training camp for the 2007–08 season and was assigned to their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Lake Erie Monsters. Oreskovich, however, did not report to the Monsters; he was suspended by the Avalanche, before announcing his retirement from the game, citing burnout and a lost drive.

After a two-year hiatus, Oreskovich regained ambitions to play professionally and reached out to former Kitchener Rangers coach Peter DeBoer, now head coach of the NHL's Florida Panthers. He earned a try-out with the Panthers at their training camp for the 2009–10 season. He was assigned to Florida's AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans and was signed a two-year contract with the Panthers on October 7, 2009. Within less than a month, Oreskovich was called up to the NHL and capped off his comeback by making his NHL debut with the Panthers in a 4-3 victory over the St. Louis Blues on October 31. Providing a energetic checking presence with the Panthers, he scored his first NHL goal against Jonathan Quick of the Los Angeles Kings in a 4-3 defeat on November 16. He split his professional rookie season between the Panthers and Americans, scoring six points over 50 games in the NHL and 15 points over 34 games in the AHL.

During the 2010 NHL Entry Draft on June 25, 2010, Oreskovich was traded to the Vancouver Canucks along with defenceman Keith Ballard in exchange for Michael Grabner, Steve Bernier, and Vancouver's first round pick, the 25th overall selection, used to select Quinton Howden. Following the pre-season the Canucks assigned Oreskovich to their AHL affiliate the Manitoba Moose. Shortly after returning from a shoulder injury that sidelined him for 15 games, he was recalled by the Canucks on February 10, 2011.

Personal life
Oreskovich attended high school at Notre Dame Catholic School in Welland, Ont, as well as at Iroquois Ridge High School in Oakville, Ontario. While playing college hockey with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, he studied finance before dropping out to join the major junior ranks. He later re-enrolled at University of Notre Dame during his two-year hiatus from his hockey career, to complete his finance degree. He has a younger sister who is entering her first year of optometry school at the University of Waterloo.