Capitals: Olie Shrugs off CriticismHE'S WON 316 GAMES, has been the owner of a Vezina Trophy and likely will be the next Capitals star to have his number raised to the Verizon Center roof. And that means next to nothing to the experts.
SI.com said Olaf Kolzig's performance "suggests he's well past his best-by date," while ESPN.com claimed the veteran "appears to have hit the wall."
Kolzig, 37, has heard the rumblings: "Everybody's writing me off, thinking I'm too old," he said. "Some people look at stats, and they don't look at anything else."
If true, that might explain the criticism. Kolzig's 3.01 GAA ranks 40th in the 30-team NHL, meaning he trails some backups. His .887 save percentage ranks 43rd.
But Kolzig toils behind a young defense and plays for a team that, now, under coach Bruce Boudreau, takes far more chances up the ice.
"I'm not a statistical goaltender and don't think I ever have been. For me, right now, the bottom line is getting wins," said Kolzig, who will be a free agent at season's end. "If I got concerned about my stats, I wouldn't be playing this in this league because I'd be a in a nuthouse."
Kolzig, along with his team (27-25-6), has been winning recently. Victorious in eight of his 13 starts since New Year's, the netminder has been huge in key moments, drawing praise following jaw-dropping saves in recent OT wins over Montreal and the Rangers. Boudreau is letting Kolzig rest more, and backup Brent Johnson (2.71 GAA, .907 save percentage) is starting more often. They'll likely split this weekend's games at Florida and Tampa Bay.
"Olie's never been a goalie that's relied on quickness. He stands up and makes it difficult to score. That's been his game, and he hasn't gotten smaller," Caps goaltending coach Dave Prior said. "He's a proud guy and believes he's got more to offer."
Written by Express contributor Brian Straus
Photo by Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post
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