He will be missed. Olie Kolzig was the most competitive person I know. He cared deeply about the team; his community; and his family. He was and is a class act and he is one of my favorite athletes of all time.
He was the greatest goaltender to date in our franchise’s history; a winner of a Vezina Trophy; and he took us to our lone Stanley Cup Final.
I respect Olie and consider him a friend.
In an odd way, I am happy that he only played in about ten games in a jersey that didn’t say Washington Capitals. He was and will always be considered a Cap.
I am sure Olie will be a huge success in retirement as well. He can do whatever he puts his heart, head and passion into. He is a man of great talent and integrity.
Olie! Olie! Olie!
Great post. I could not agree more. Olie was and is a class act. Especially where it matters most … off the ice. Don’t get me wrong, I love and respect what he did for us on the ice as well … but his charity work and his community activism are what ALL local atheletes should strive for. Thanks. And I look forward to celebrating raising 37 to the roof. In my own #37 jersey!
Ted, will you invite Olie to the Convention as an alumni ??
See you Saturday
Thanks for your post, and all these posts. I had the pleasure of following Olie’s career from start to finish, and if anyone deserves to have his number retired (and, if possible brought back to the organization in some capacity) in a ceremonial way, it is Olie Kolzig. He was a role model for my son, a high school sophomore goalie, both in style and substance. I only wish that I’d had the chance to meet him. We’ll always love and admire him.
Olie was a beast for us and just a great guy in general. Please set it up and retire his number.
Mr. Leonsis: I know it’s early after this announcement, but can we Caps fans expect a night devoted to honoring Olie, perhaps including a jersey retirement?
Ted — I respect you greatly but you need to back that up with action. Give Olie the one-game contract and retire him here, in front of us, celebrating with us. It’s the class-act thing to do. How can you say he was the face of the Capitals and then let him slink off into the netherlands without the red on?
How he left was unfortunate and my guess is it was one of those communication issues that snowballed out of control with mess ups on both sides. Be the man I know you are and rise above the pettiness of the past. The Capitals organization is such a great one — here’s an opportunity to add to it’s culture and legend by doing what’s right.
Clock’s ticking.
Ted,
Please retire #37!!!
Thanks!
Well said Ted…well said
Olie! Olie Olie!
Nice post. Kolzig was an incredible player for the Caps. I’ll never forget when Bill Ranford went down… and Kolzig went in. Nobody guessed he’d have the career he did. And his impact in the DC-metro community was enormous. Congratulations to Ollie — I hope his year off with his kids is one of the best experiences of his and his family’s life.
Since there’s a lot of chatter (and polling) out there about whether the Caps should retire his number, let me ask you to at least give the question a few years of thought, Ted.
At some point the Caps need to become the sort of franchise that aims for championships rather than settles for things like “Championship Attendance” banners and other lesser ways of recognizing organizational accomplishment.
If you followed the team the first half dozen years, you know exactly why Yvon Labre’s #7 was retired – and should have been retired. Langway and Gartner are Hall of Fame players. As for Dale Hunter… while I loved him as a Cap, I’ll always question the retiring of #32. And now comes the question of Kolzig’s #37 — and let’s not forget Bondra’s #12.
The honor should be reserved for very, VERY special circumstances – legendary players or legendary commitment. Scott Stevens and Larry Murphy (who entered the Hall of Fame as a Capital) haven’t had their Capitals numbers retired. Olaf Kolzig’s shouldn’t be either.
Ted, time to raise 37 to the rafters. You should wait no longer than it takes to put the party together. Olie was for years, espeially the lean ones, a reason to wacth the Caps. Time to party!
I hope that the Caps will invite him back for one night – and give us a chance to give him a proper farewell.
Good luck, Olie! Looking forward to the occasion when Caps’ fans can thank you properly, and see #37 raised to the rafters.
Olie is a genuine and passionate person, who really cares about people. He’s the kind of guy anyone would like to have as a close friend. Forever to be remembered as a Washington Capital. I really hope he ends up working in some capacity that brings him back into town on a regular basis.
I first met Olie as a rookie when my wife and I accompanied the Caps to Russia in 1989. A class act all the way. More needs to be said about his charity and other community work. And I assume it won’t take very long before his jersey is in the rafters.
It’s way too early to speak of retiring the 37, put could a hold be placed on the number?
Well said, Ted. Now lets get the greatest goaltender, player, and man in the history of the franchises’ number up in the rafters. There is no disputing that the man deserves it, and deserves it asap. He has done so much for the city, the community, and Washington Capitals hockey that will never be forgotten. All the best.
Matt
nicely written ted
Ted
Any chance that you will retire Olie’s number?
Also as the father of a child with autism who plays special hockey, we will always be grateful for what Olie and his wife have done for children with autism and for those who play special hockey. He is a class act and I am glad that you took the time to mark his retirement.
Good luck this season
Olie will always be remembered by me as a #Cap and I really hope that there is a way that his #37 jersey can be retired and hung on the Capitals rafters. He was a class act and will forever be my favorite NHL goalie.