Overcoming Obstacles: OPRF Junior Oskar Wallichs Survives Ruptured Spleen, Now A Varsity Defenseman

By Ross Forman
On his first shift in his first-ever high school hockey game, disaster struck.

Defenseman Oskar Wallichs went to grab the puck and slipped. An opposing player’s skate slammed into his ribs. Everything hurt and he struggled to breathe.

“Everyone thought I had just hurt my rib,” he said. “In the hospital waiting to get me an X-ray, I started getting sweaty and started throwing up uncontrollably. I passed out. The next thing I remember, I’m in a hospital bed and my blood pressure is unbelievably low; the ambulance was on the way to transfer me, and I (was having) emergency surgery.”

Wallichs suffered a ruptured spleen.

“I was in the hospital for six days. My doctor was very supportive of me getting back and understood how much I wanted to play hockey again. I worked so hard, and in six weeks I was skating again,” he said. “I was really freaked out (when the injury happened). I had no clue what was happening to me; no one did. When I got back to the bench, my coaches thought I just had the wind knocked out of me.

“Before the surgery, waiting in the hospital bed, my mom and I had a real conversation about me maybe not being able to play hockey again because we had no clue how serious this injury was. Luckily, after the surgery, the doctor said to my mom, ‘He will be safer than anyone else’ because I had one less organ than all the other players.”

Wallichs’ rehabilitation started three days after the surgery. “I didn’t stand for that whole time, so first I just had to get my feet moving again,” he said.

Wallichs has a 12-inch scar on his stomach. “I slowly had to get used to moving any muscle in my torso again,” he said. “The worst part (was), my abs and core were completely gone. I couldn’t sit up without someone pulling me up. After I got out of the hospital, I didn’t go to physical therapy because the weakest part of my body was my ab strength. 

“Slowly but surely, I got stronger just by doing day-to-day activities.”
 
Fast-forward to Wallichs’ junior season, his first skating on the OPRF varsity. He is now having “the most fun I’ve ever had playing hockey,” he said.

The injury changed his life. “Near death, you learn how important life is and to embrace it more,” he said. “Also, this injury helped me in so many ways. I lost a lot of weight as a result, and now I’m in great shape and an even better hockey player.”

Wallichs, 17, who lives in Oak Park, played his first two seasons for the OPRF JV Team – and was once voted JV Most Improved Player. He formerly skated for the Ice Bears and Stallions. He often skates alongside Logan Binning and Grant Bowman.

“After playing some of the top teams in the (Illinois) West (Division), I have seen that we can really go far in the playoffs and even win the West,” Wallichs said. “This team is like a family; I’ve never been so close to my team before this season. We almost have the same team from when we played JV my freshman year, and I’ve been playing with some of my teammates my whole hockey career.”

One of the highlights of his hockey career came last season during the playoffs. OPRF eliminated the Kankakee Irish a week after losing to them 11-3.

He also recalls his first game back after the injury – playing a good team in a tournament. “The game had 4.8 seconds left. We just scored to go up by 2. My coach tapped my shoulder, and I hopped on the ice. The rink erupted in excitement. I’ve never heard my team cheer louder for me. It really showed how much my team cares for me,” Wallichs said.

Wallichs is a defense-first player. “I’ve never been a flashy goalscorer or playmaker, although that’s what I’m trying to work on this year. I’m the type of player who will kill a penalty to win the game for my team,” he said.

Wallichs’ goals this season: tally at least 20 assists and 5 goals.

Slapshots With … OPRF Junior Oskar Wallichs

College Plans: “I would like to play hockey on an ACHA team.”
Off The Ice: “After school, I work at an after-school program for K-5 and was a summer camp counselor for kids. When I’m not working, I’m usually playing golf, hanging out with friends or playing video games.”
It Helps: “I go to the gym every day that I don’t have hockey. My team also has weekly film sessions and workouts.”
Superstitions on the Ice: “For me, the superstitions start before I even get on the ice. Since last year, my linemate Logan and I headbutt right before we go out. I’m always the second-to-last to get on the ice. When I get on the ice, one hard lap and I slam my back on the boards adjacent to my bench.”
Long-term Career Goals: “I have been looking into careers like teaching, business and engineering.”
Early Hockey Memory: “I remember my first-ever skate. I hated it and wanted to go home the whole time; I couldn’t even skate. Thankfully, my parents made me stick with it.”
The Quote: “In my hockey career, I have had multiple negative coaches who would pick on me and never say anything positive. I think proving them wrong makes me want to play harder and influences my career.”
Favorite NHL Team: Chicago Blackhawks
Favorite NHL Player: Duncan Keith 
Favorite Sports-themed Movie: Miracle 
Favorite TV Show: Sopranos 
Motivational Song: Money For Nothing by Dire Straits
Favorite Pre-game Meal: Chicken tacos
Favorite app: Snapchat 
Celebrity You’d Like To Meet: Sydney Crosby 
Favorite High School Uniforms (other than OPRF): Glenbard South (yellow)