Kolzig official

The Lightning and goalie Olaf Kolzig agreed to a one-year deal, the team announced. The base salary is $1.5-million. Bonuses could bump him to $2.5-million, so his cap hit is $2.5-million.

Here is part of the release:

One of the most experienced goaltenders in the NHL, Kolzig has played his entire career in Washington where he owns team goaltending records for games played (711), wins (301), save percentage (.906) and shutouts (35), among others. A first-team All-Star and Vezina Trophy winner as the league’s top goaltender after posting a career-best 41 wins in 1999-00, Kolzig has played in two NHL All-Star Games (1998 and 2000). He also led the Capitals to the 1998 Stanley Cup Finals, posting a 12-9 record and 1.95 goals-against average in 21 games.

Originally drafted 19th overall by Washington in 1989, Kolzig, 38, played three seasons in the Western Hockey League with New Westminster and Tri-City before making his NHL debut with the Capitals in 1989-90. The 6-foot-3, 224-pound native of Johannesburg, South Africa, became a regular with the Capitals in 1994-95 and took over as the team’s starter in 1997-98 when he posted a record of 33-18-10 with a 2.20 goals-against average and a .920 save percentage.

Kolzig enjoyed his ninth 20-plus win and his seventh 25-plus win season in 2007-08, and he became the 23rd NHL goaltender to record 300 career victories with a 24-save win March 12 against Calgary. He is tied for 22nd all time with 301 career wins, and only Martin Brodeur has played more games than Kolzig among goaltenders who spent their entire career with one team. He has played in 45 career Stanley Cup Playoff games, posting a 20-24 record with six shutouts, a 2.14 goals-against average and a .927 save percentage.

Kolzig has represented Germany on the international stage four times including the 1998 and 2006 Winter Olympics, the 1997 World Championships and the 1996 World Cup. He is considered to be one of the NHL’s most active players when it comes to charitable endeavors, serving as one of the co-founders of Athletes Against Autism and founding the Carson Kolzig Foundation, named after his son. He was chosen as the recipient of the King Clancy Memorial Trophy in 2006.

Comments

[baby schultz]

I'm sure gonna miss Olie, but I know he'll do great anywhere. Good luck!

[McGz]

The sports science video is cool. Kolzig is the real deal, how many 50 save nights has he had against the Lightning?

[Mike13]

Here's one where he talks about his mask...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0iVNxWHW6w

[Mike13]

This one is pretty cool. It is a portion of one of those FSN Sports Science shows...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hb-Ke7KyKPY

[Mike13]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MunTf_Xcgbs

[Mike13]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ATKkxvbKr4&NR=1

[Mike13]

Here are some cool short videos found on Youtube featuring Kolzig...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OCnDrab3dk

[Twinebulge]

FI.

NAL.

LY!

NOW they've done it. An actual....honest to goodness...dyed in the nylon....real and true....NHL netminder

Olaf Kolzig in black & blue - pinch me till I TURN black & blue

Roberto Luongo? Henrik Lundqvist or Marty Brodeur? Nope but I'll take this one all day long. They pooh poohed Khabibulin having taken off two years from hockey but no I said, he's the real deal. This guy's older, OK, but let's not call him Oldie the Goalie just yet

I suspected these guys were for real and would go get an experienced proven starting #1 NHL-playoff caliber All-Star goaltender, it is as I'd wanted but dared not hope to predict

Hmmmm, and my ticket rep just called me today. What a coincidence. I'm in

Let the doubters enjoy their redoubt
OK and OK are OK
Happy happy joy joy :^D)))

[boltz fan]

dc caps fan shut up u just jealous that we got kolzig now go home and cry like a baby and hope that theodore might actualy do somthing and not allow a million goals a game

[Mike13]

Hey DC Caps Fan, go back to Tarik's blog and bash Olie. Don't troll on ours. You never have liked Godzilla, even a few years ago (before AO came to town) when we posted on the old Caps board with Old Chelsea. You know that he will be a solid backup to our inexperienced G and he is a natural leader on and off the ice. So what if he let's in a softie every other game. He's a backup +.

[dc caps fan]

you guys are nuts. Olie is only coming down there to work on his golf game. And, that is to your benefit. Watch him when he walks your beaches. He can't stop a beach ball!

[Don in St. Pete]

Great post's by the Marlboro Man and SKP. The Lightning are loaded with talent on D, considered by most to have the best talent in the pipeline after Nashville. That being said they need to step up. O'brien needs to get over his squabbling with Torts and Turtling with the puck instead of passing it. Ranger needs to get a bit of a mean streak, he has the size now use it and intimidate people. Smaby and Lundin could probably both use another year at Norfolk though I am high on both. Pickard will only continue to get better and he loves to hit. Kuba needs to be a little more physical at 6'5" but was our best defenseman in the last month of the season after playing hurt for the first 3/4. Boyle is an enigma and while his skills are superb, he has serious drawbacks as well. He should run the PP and NEVER have to play against the other teams top unit flat and simple. When we won the cup he was the 5th or 6th defenseman which makes perfect snese.

[Mike13]

Tom, that Rolston deal is still a rumor that last time I checked.

[tom]

New Jersey signs UFA forward Brian Rolston to a four year deal worth $20-million.......

[tom]

it doesnt make any sense considering he is only 26 and been in the NHL since 06.

paul, what the HELL are you thinking saying bad things about dan boyle? what has he done WRONG here?!?! he ALWAYS produces, and can SINGLE HANDEDLY turn a game around! Shut your yap!

Posted by: shane | July 01, 2008 at 04:56 PM

Wrong -29 in37 games
Wrong more turn-overs than a pastry shop.

Wrong Soft on defence "Charmmy"

[Hawkeye]

"Shopping Smith? They just gave him a 2 year extension! Makes no sense."

It does if you're planning on using him for trade-bait. Kolzig will tutor Ramo, so he can take over after this year. ???

All these signings and the Bolts lost money last year at $44 Mil?

[skp]

now that the MVP line won't have to churn out 25 minutes a game, they'll have more energy to play 2-way hockey for 60 minutes....the second line of malone, stamkos, and vrbata includes 3 players with a rep for defensive responsibility...with the offense more aggresive & energetic due to the depth at forward, we shouldn't have the same issues with forward making mental mistakes (hello brad richards) or not hustling to get back on defense like last year...this should make the defense (which is full of young players who are improving every day) and goalies better...sorta how everyone thought certain rays pitchers were awful until some guys with real gloves were put behind him...improving one unit can allow another skilled unit that was being asked to do too much to look a whole lot better

[brendan]

Agree also with "not the marlboro man", forecheck is big part of game, but also agree with O'Leary, I would like to get one stay at home, all in all, kudos to management for making attempt to improve this team Ringo

[tom]

Columbus signs UFA defenceman Mike Commodore to a 5 yea deal worth $18.75 million
holy wow! wish my hockey stint was in the late 2000's not the late 80's early 90's.. thats just insane teir 2 defense are getting

[tom]

good point "Not the Marlboro Man" this team was built on the offensive forecheck..

[Not the Marlboro Man]

If I said it once I've said i a dozen times. The defensie players were not the problem here it was the defensive scheme. Plus the weak lines that Feaster and Tortarella put together made for a real crappy mix. This team has big agressive defensmen that play just fine. Remeber how bad Daryl Sydor was in his last year here. When he went back to Dallas he looked just fine in a different scheme. But on the other hand, the offensive defenseman like Pavel Kubina sucked when he went to a defensive minded team but still had moments of brilliance. THis team will be just fine. They really don't ave to pick up but maybe one more defender. They have enough experience with Ranger, Boyle, Kuba and Lukowich to get by. When you add Lundin, Smaby, Picard and the other youngsters, you have some outstanding potential. Now add to the fact the forwards that were acquired will put allot more pressure on the the other teams defensive zone.
Plus when this team adds the ability they have to forecheck in the other teams zone, they will have allot more success than they had in the last three seasons. One other thing to add, Boyle, although he's not my favorite, is as good as any other puck moving defenseman in the league. I believe that his problems stemmed from having to much responsibility in lieu of not having any offense in front of him for half the game. Now that the Bolts will have 4 difinitive lines, our defense won't have the trouble it had in the past.

also brian cambpell to the hawks..wow that is huge with Toews and Kane...nice

[DivisionNick]

So, with the logjam at forward, does anyone else see the possibility of Jokinen or Ouellet traded for a tier II defenseman?

[tom]

watching TSN free-agent frenzy online and they are backing up the mike smith shopping info too

[brendan]

how about a stay at home, physical defenseman? we could use one, Brendan O'Leary

[Andrzej]

I believed that the only sense makes "hunting" for CURRENTLY good players, not necessarily for those who had bright past

Still TBL does not have a goalie with decent 90% save record.

[Boltflasher]

Who was it that said OK did not have money to get free agents and/or would not spend near the cap?

[jason]

Buffalo signs UFA goaltender Patrick Lalime to a 2 year deal worth $2-million....lol that guy is a born loser. He won't help them if Miller goes down. I saw Lalime cough up soft goal after soft goal in STL.

The Bolts did a much better job getting Olaf.

[Ken]

I love Dan Boyle and have nothing but respect for what he has done, however, the man doesn't do as much defensively. We have now signed a lot of offense, now we need some physical defensive defensemen.

[brendan]

any word on Ralston? Brendan O' Leary

[Gareth]

That cap website doesnt include qualifying offer we extended to craig and also no indication on stamkos. weird

[jason]

well Olaf is making 1.5 mil this year so we still have 6 mil left....what top dman is available for that or less?

[jason]

Welcome to the sunny shores of FL, Olaf! I hope you are ready to work your butt off because Tampa's D should give you lots of pucks to see.

unless they sign someone else...btw how much cap space do they have?

http://www.hockeybuzz.com/cap-central/team.php?team=TB

[shane]

paul, what the HELL are you thinking saying bad things about dan boyle? what has he done WRONG here?!?! he ALWAYS produces, and can SINGLE HANDEDLY turn a game around! Shut your yap!

[KenB]

Shopping Smith? They just gave him a 2 year extension! Makes no sense.

[Shaun]

Anyone with an IQ over 90 knows the Bolts did a good job today. It's bold moves like this that put this owners in the positions they are in today...something you all probably can't relate to.

[LightningRod]

The Tampa Bay Lightning are shopping goaltender Mike Smith around after signing Olaf Kolzig to a one-year deal, Sportsnet has learned.

[paul]

PLEASE SOMONE SMACK SOME SENSE INTO THE LIGHTNING GET A D-MEN AND DUMP BOYLE AND A STARTING GOALIE

[Mark]

DC, are they done for the day or can we expect more action? This is prtty crazy. I'm wondering if they are going to stick with our defense or use trades to get more defensemen in here?

[Schultz]

Good luck, guys. As a Caps fan, we'll enjoy seeing him often. Is the burn on the back of his neck from the sun or the red lamp?