Olaf Kölzig facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Olaf Kölzig
Kölzig with the Washington Capitals in 2007
Born	(1970-04-06) 6 April 1970 (age 55) Johannesburg, South Africa
Height	6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Weight	221 lb (100 kg; 15 st 11 lb)
Position	Goaltender
Caught	Left
Played for	Washington Capitals Eisbären Berlin Tampa Bay Lightning
National team	Germany
NHL Draft	19th overall, 1989 Washington Capitals
Playing career	1989–2009

Olaf Kölzig (born 6 April 1970) is a former professional ice hockey goaltender. He was born in South Africa to German parents. He grew up in Canada and later became a German citizen.

Olaf played almost his entire 14-year career in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Washington Capitals. He was known by his cool nickname, "Olie the Goalie". After retiring, he became a coach for the Capitals. Olaf is one of the top goalies in NHL history. He ranks high in career saves, wins, games played, and minutes on the ice.

Playing Career Highlights

Kölzig and Brent Johnson during a Capitals practice in 2008

Olaf Kölzig started his hockey journey in junior leagues. He played for the New Westminster Bruins and Tri-City Americans. While playing for Tri-City, he even scored a goal! That's super rare for a goalie.

The Washington Capitals picked Olaf in the 1989 NHL Draft. He played his first NHL game in the 1989–90 season. But he spent several years playing in minor leagues. He played for teams like the Baltimore Skipjacks and Portland Pirates. In 1994, he won two big awards with the Pirates. He was named the MVP of the AHL playoffs and also won the Hap Holmes Memorial Award.

Becoming the Capitals' Star Goalie

In the 1995–96 season, Olaf became the backup goalie for the Capitals. The next year, the main goalie got hurt. Olaf stepped up and took over. He played really well for the rest of the 1997–98 season. He helped the Capitals reach the Stanley Cup Finals! This is the championship series of the NHL.

Olaf was amazing in those playoffs. He had four shutouts, meaning he didn't let the other team score any goals in those games. This is a huge achievement for a goalie. Even though the Capitals lost in the finals, Olaf showed everyone how talented he was.

In 2000, Olaf won the Vezina Trophy. This award goes to the best goalie in the NHL. He had an amazing season with 41 wins and five shutouts. He also played in the NHL All-Star Game twice, in 1998 and 2000. During the 2004–05 NHL season, there was a "lock-out." This meant players and teams couldn't agree, so games were stopped. During this time, Olaf played for a team in Germany called Eisbären Berlin.

Later Career and Retirement

Kölzig in 2008

Olaf signed a new contract with the Capitals in 2006. But in 2007, he got a knee injury. He had rarely missed games before this. In 2008, the Capitals got another goalie, Cristobal Huet. He started playing more games.

On March 12, 2008, Olaf reached a huge milestone. He became the 23rd goalie in NHL history to win 300 games! The Capitals made it to the playoffs that year. After the season, Olaf decided he would not return to the team. He was the last player left who had worn the Capitals' original team uniform.

In 2008, Olaf signed a one-year contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning. When he returned to Washington D.C. to play against his old team, the fans cheered loudly for him. They even showed a video to honor his time with the Capitals. Sadly, in January 2009, Olaf got a serious arm injury. This meant he would miss the rest of the season.

Olaf was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in March 2009. But he was still injured and couldn't play. On September 23, 2009, Olaf Kölzig announced he was retiring from the NHL. Later that year, he was honored and added to the ECHL Hall of Fame. The Capitals have not given his number 37 jersey to any other player since he retired.

Personal Life and Community Work

Olaf Kölzig is known for his great work off the ice too. In 2005, he became part of the ownership group for his old junior team, the Tri-City Americans. This helped make sure the team stayed in Kennewick, Washington.

Olaf is also a big supporter of helping others. He co-founded "Athletes Against Autism" to help people learn about autism. He also started the "Carson Kolzig Foundation for Youth Autism." He did this in honor of his son, who has autism.

Because of his amazing community work, Olaf won the NHL's King Clancy Memorial Trophy in 2006. This award is given to players who show great leadership and make a difference in their communities. He was also named one of the "Washingtonians of the Year" in 2000. In 2004, Capitals fans voted him one of the top 30 players in the team's history.

Olaf is married and has three children. When he was growing up, he was a fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

International Play

Olaf Kölzig also played for the German Olympic team. He was the starting goalie at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan. He played very well, with a low goals-against average. He also played for Germany in the 2004 World Cup of Hockey and the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy.

Awards and Achievements

As a player

• WHL West Second All-Star Team – 1989
• Jack A. Butterfield Trophy – 1994
• Hap Holmes Memorial Award – 1994 (with Byron Dafoe)
• NHL All-Star Game – 1998 and 2000
• Vezina Trophy – 2000
• NHL First All-Star Team – 2000
• NHL Foundation Player Award – 2001
• DEL champion – 2004–05
• King Clancy Memorial Trophy – 2006
• One of Ten "Washingtonians of the Year" (from Washingtonian Magazine) – 2000
• ECHL Hall of Fame Inductee, Developmental Player – 2010

As a coach

• Stanley Cup champion – 2018

Washington Capitals Records

These records are for goalies only.

Career

• Most career games played (711).
• Most career wins (301).
• Most career losses (293).
• Most career ties (86).
• Most career minutes played (41,261).
• Most goals allowed (1,860).
• Most career shutouts (35).
• Most career points scored (17).

Regular season

• Most games played in a season (73 in 2000) (Tied with Braden Holtby).
• Most minutes played in a season (4,371 in 2000).
• Most ties in a season (11 in 2000).

Playoffs

• Most career playoffs shutouts (6).
• Most career playoffs penalty minutes (12).

Career Statistics

Regular season and playoffs

International