Olie Kolzig Biography

Olaf Kolzig
NHL Draft

19th overall, 1989
Washington Capitals

Playing career

1989 – 2009
Olaf Kolzig (born April 6, 1970) is a retired professional ice hockey goaltender who played 14 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Washington Capitals and the Tampa Bay Lightning. Though Kölzig was born in South Africa, he grew up in several cities across Canada.
 
Olie is married to Christin Kolzig and together they have three children: Carson, Kendall and Ashlyn.  They have a home in St Petersburg, Florida but have a permanent home in Kennewick Washington. Olie and his wife are the Founders of the Carson Kolzig Foundation which raises money for autism resources. 
 
Playing career
"Olie the Goalie" had been with the Washington Capitals franchise since they selected him in the 1989 Draft; he was the first South African-born player to be drafted to the NHL; he was the last remaining Capital to have worn the original red, white and blue uniform and the blue jersey from 1995.
 
Olie was one of the original players for the Tri City Americans.  His noteworthy involvements at the time were his great friendship with Stu Barnes, who also went on to play professional hockey as well as call the Tri Cities there home.  Barnes and Kolzig also are majority owners of the Ams. In 1989, Kolzig was the first ever WHL goalie to score a goal with the Americans.
 
In the 1997–98 season Kolzig led the Capitals to the Stanley Cup Finals. In the playoffs, he became only the tenth goalie in NHL history to record four shutouts in one postseason.
 
In 2000, he won the Vezina Trophy as the NHL's best goalie after going 41-20-11 with a 2.24 GAA and five shutouts. In addition to that prestigious award, Kolzig has also received Jack A. Butterfield Trophy, MVP of the American Hockey League playoffs and the 1994 Hap Holmes Memorial Award.
 
Kolzig was also the starting goalie for the German Olympic team in the 1998 and 2006 Winter Games
 
Kolzig also has the distinction of being one of four goaltenders to play a scoreless period during an NHL All-Star Game, having done so at the 2000 All-Star Game. He also played in the 1998 All-Star Game, in which he made 14 saves on 17 shots.
In 2004, the Capitals held a vote for fans to determine the top 30 players in the franchise history to celebrate their 30th season in the league. Kolzig 2,038 votes led all players. Olie was awarded the King Clancy Memorial Trophy in 2006, an award given annually to the NHL player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and who has made a significant humanitarian contribution to hi s community. This award above all , he is most proud of.

While with the Capitals, Kolzig became the twenty-third goalie to win 300 games.
 
On July 1, 2008, Kolzig became an unrestricted free agent and signed a $1.5 million, 1-year contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning. On January 28, 2009, it was announced that Kolzig would miss the rest of the 2008–09 season due to a ruptured biceps tendon in his left arm. He was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
 
On September 23, 2009, Kolzig announced his retirement from the NHL. Later that year, Kolzig was named to the ECHL Hall of Fame and was inducted in the Hall of Fame's Class of 2010 at the 2010 ECHL All-Star Game in Ontario, California

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