10 thoughts on “Mike Vogel on Olie”

  1. Whether Olie should have played or not after the Chicago game and whether the Caps had any intention of trying to do a deal with him for next year or not – is completely irrelevent to what I see as an inexcusable lack of communication during and after the trade for Huet.

    To not have the courtesy and respect to simply say to Olie “here is what we are doing and why” or to say “we don’t know yet what our plans are for next year” or “hey – we’re real busy right now trying to make the playoffs – let’s talk as soon as the season is over”…or ANYTHING… is just inexcusable – I can’t find a better word.

    There are two sides to every story, but if Olie’s account of what happened is true and no one in Caps management above Coach Boudreau made any effort at all to communicate with Olie – given all he has meant for this team for so long – then shame on them. If this is true, I can say that I have lost all respect for the GM and owner. It will not affect at all my passion for Bruce and the team (with or without Olie), but the way in which this was mishandled leaves a very bad taste in my mouth for the teams management.

  2. Olie did say that he mentioned to Brent Johnson after the 5-0 lost to Chicago, that he thought he had played his last game as a Capital. That was even before the 7-0 run that Huet had. I guess what I think happened is that Boudreau probably would have continued to alternate goalies had Huet not played so well those last 7 games. The Caps wouldn’t have made the playoffs and there would be no reason to ride one goalie out the rest of the year. I think what happened (going 7-0) was a bit of a surprise to the coaching staff and I don’t think that during that 7-0 run, they even figured Huet and the Caps would actually pull it off. Of course we believed that they could beat anyone at that point in time, but realistically, not a 7-0 run. By the time the 7 games had passed and they made it into the playoffs, Olie had been sitting for two weeks. At that point you are heading into the post-season riding a goalie that is hot and there is no way in the world you would switch. That is probably the time that the coaches should have approached Olie. Not to tell him they were going a different direction, but to tell him they were just riding a hot goalie and they would still want his services, whether it might be later in the first round, or even round 2 (had we made it that far). I think though, that the playoffs were all too engrossing for the coaching staff and they probably figured that Olie, being the kind of guy he is, understood this was just something that happened and he would understand. Well he understands up to a point, but someone should still have sat down with him. I don’t think it is too late to try and get him to reconsider. A heartfelt apology from the coaches and owners might give him pause to think about going to another team, if they could convince him that a Huet/Kolzig tandem would work and that he would still get a lot of playing time. Maybe not a 50/50 split, but enough to keep him rested, yet enough to keep him sharp.
    We are not even sure if we can get Huet to re-sign with the Caps, and after what Brent Johnson just went through, he will most likely asked to be traded. If that plays out, we are without a veteran goaltender. What would Kolzig do then, if no one else needs him as a starter. Would he rather retire, or play another year as the Caps goaltender? Depends on how sincere the Caps apology is.

  3. I second Ted Farragut’s words above. McPhee made the right decision in picking up Huet, and Boudreau made the right decision in playing him. But there is NO EXCUSE for management not speaking to Olie about the team’s intentions, whatever they may have been. McPhee blew it big time. His business savvy in picking up those important players at the trade deadline has now been overshadowed by all the fans who think he’s a big jerk.

    And unless you all can truly fork over the money to sign Huet for a few years (and get Green a big old contract while you’re at it), we fans are going to be wishing like heck we still had Olie in net next year… and blaming McPhee.

  4. Mike Vogel is a fantastic writer and a likeable guy. It’s great that Olie and the guys can trust him to ask the right questions and get the story straight. Thanks for having him on the payroll. I’m sure you’re getting your money’s worth with him.

    Olie Kolzig will always be a Washington Capital for me too. Wherever he ends up, I hope he finds happiness and fulfillment. He’s a great man, and his career should end with only fond memories.

  5. By his own admision, Kolzig decided before the playoffs were over that he would not come back next season. So his mind was made up before exit interviews, and before negotiations to re-sign him had a chance to start.

    Noone can second-guess Boudreau’s decision to go with Huet, who won 11 of the team’s last 12 games to squeak into the playoffs. If 22 out of 24 points is “going in a different direction” then by all means the team should keep going that way.

  6. The business side of things often attenuates the pyschological importance of a fan favorite player retiring with the team.

    Calle Johansson
    Peter Bondra
    Now Olaf Kolzig

    All favorites of the long term fans who left the team on less than perfect circumstances.

    Really, it’s a hiccup on the overall scheme of things, but elements like having the jersey hoisted, or the number retired, and the ceremony involved do serve to build hockey traditions in a town.

    Although I respect everyone’s opinion and agree that Huet was the goalie to start (he did help the team come back from a 3-1 deficit and take it to game 7, not to mention being perfect win-wise at the end of the regular season to get the Caps there in the first place), I wish there was less negativity about Olie from some fans, in the name of tradition and respect for th man’s career here if nothing else.

  7. This is not going well with me. As a season ticket holder for 20 years now, and tracking every bit of news I could on the Caps, piecing puzzles together, I believe that team officials missed something here. They did not give the courtesy to Ollie anywhere along the line to explain facts to him. I think George McPhee is at the heart of the mistake by not approaching Ollie man-to-man. The fact we got a world class goalie for pennies and that he performed is one thing, but to not sit with Ollie and let him blow off steam was wrong. I have had many employees in my career and you NEVER want to embarrass or ignore your superstars and leaders. Something stinks here. Damage control Ted. NOW.

  8. I realize the Caps are a big proponent of online media, and thus, an online article might feel appropriate, but please do this right…al least hold an interview with television media. There is still time to try and make this separation a bit easier on both Olie and the fans. I think we need more closure than this.

  9. These situations are never easy. I love Olie as a player and a leader. I love Ted as an owner and a leader. Go Caps!