The Washington Capitals today announced that Olaf Kolzig, known as Olie the Goalie and Godzilla to legions of Caps fans, has joined the team as Associate Goaltender Coach, joining his longtime coach Dave Prior, who was announced as Director of Goaltending and NHL Goaltender Coach.

These moves were made in response to Arturs Irbe resigning for personal reasons two weeks ago.

“We are excited to add a familiar face to our staff in Olie Kolzig,” said Caps GM George McPhee via press release. “Olie had a tremendous impact on this franchise as a goaltender as well as an individual, and we are looking forward to him having the same impact as a coach.”

Both Kolzig and Prior will attend the Captials' Rookie Development Camp in July.

Kolzig, perhaps the most favored former-Capital due to his long service with the team and tremendous amount of public relation and philanthropic work in the community, appeared at the Capitals Convention before last season and lamented to fans in a Q&A session how his tenure ended in D.C., expressing a strong desire to be more active in the Capitals community in his retirement.

As far as this space is concerned, Olie never should have been allowed to leave in the first place, and we're more than happy that he's back where he belongs -- and his No. 37 is one step closer to joining Yvon Labre, Rod Langway, Dale Hunter and Mike Gartner hanging from the rafters of Verizon Center.

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From the Caps:

Kolzig, 41, played in 711 games as a Capital from 1989-90 through 2007-08. He currently owns nearly every all-time Capitals goaltending record, including games played, wins (301), shutouts (35) and minutes (41,259) and ranks fourth (minimum 3,000 minutes played) in goals-against average (2.70) and third in save percentage (.906). In terms of single-season records, Kolzig leads in games (73), minutes (4,371), wins (41) and is second (minimum 1,200 minutes) in goals-against average (2.20), save percentage (.920) and shutouts (6).

The Johannesburg, South Africa, native was awarded the 2000 Vezina Trophy, awarded to the league’s top goalie, and was named the 2005-06 King Clancy Memorial Trophy winner (awarded to the player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and who has made a significant humanitarian contribution to his community). He was also named to two NHL All-Star teams (1998 and 2000) as a member of the Capitals.

A former Caps first-round draft pick (19th overall) in the 1989 NHL Entry Draft, Kolzig helped guide Washington to its only Stanley Cup Final in 1998. During his final season with the Caps in 2007-08, Kolzig was teammates with several current Capitals, including captain Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, Alexander Semin and Mike Green. The three-time German Olympian (1998, 2002 – sat out due to injury and 2006) appeared in 719 career NHL games with Washington and Tampa Bay before retiring in September 2009.

Prior spent 12 seasons as the Capitals goaltending coach from 1996-97 through the 2008-09 season, including 11 seasons coaching KolzigVezina-winning season (1999-2000) and the Caps 1998 Stanley Cup appearance. The Capitals won four divisional championships and made six playoff appearances during Prior’s tenure.

Before joining the Capitals’ coaching staff, Prior worked as a goaltending coach for the Dallas Stars, Detroit Red Wings, San Jose Sharks and Winnipeg Jets. In addition, the native of Guelph, Ontario, gained international experience mentoring goalies on the German National Team and spent seven years working with the NHL Central Scouting Bureau.

The Washington Capitals host the Chicago Black Hawks tonight at 7:00 pm from Verizon Center.

According to Capitals Insider, this morning's skate at Kettler was optional, so the line pairings weren't announced, but the Ovechkin-Backstrom-Knuble line is expected to play.

Other forwards on tonight's roster:  Semin, Laich, B. Gordon, Clark, Laing, Osala, A. Gordon, Perreault, Wilson and Sugden

Defense:  Green, Morrisonn, Pothier, Poti, Jurcina, Sloan

Semyon Varlamov is slated to start with Michael Neuvirth backing him up.

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Olaf Kolzig, the long-time face and heart of the Washington Capitals, announced his retirement today after 14 NHL seasons.  He finishes with 719 career games (711 with Washington).  His 303 career wins are 21st all-time, and he posted a 2.71 GAA and .906 save percentage with 35 career shutouts.

"Olie was the face of the Capitals franchise for years, on the ice, in the locker room and around Washington, D.C. He was a great Capital and the organization and our fans will always have fond memories of 'Olie the Goalie.' We wish him and his wonderful family all the best in his retirement." -- Capitals Chairman/Owner Ted Leonsis

It's a matter of short order before Kolzig's No. 37 hangs in the rafters with Yvan Labre's No. 7, Rod Langway's No. 5, Dale Hunter's No. 32 and Mike Gartner's No. 12.  Kolzig and Peter Bondra will complete a formidable "first line" of retired numbers when they are honored soon.

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Goaltender Jason Bacashihua, defensemen John Carlson and Patrick McNeill and forwards Francois Bouchard, Andrew Joudrey and Steve Pinizzotto have been reassigned to AHL Hershey, which opened its training camp Monday.

The only mild surprise in the first wave of cuts was Carlson, the 19-year old defenseman.  Coach Bruce Boudreau said Carlson needed more seasoning in the AHL. 

"I just think he needed more time," Boudreau said. "I told him yesterday, 'You're going to be a great NHL player.' Mike Green, Jeff Schultz, all of our young D have spent considerable time in the minors and the formula has worked. There's no need to rush him with the amount of solid NHL defensemen that we have here."

The training camp roster is at 36, with three preseason games in eight days to set the opening night lineup, Oct. 1 in Boston.

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THREE DAY SCHEDULE

Wednesday, Sept. 23

10 a.m.: Morning skate
10:30 a.m.: Practice (non-game players)
7:00 p.m.: vs. Chicago, Verizon Center
Radio: WashingtonCaps.com

Thursday, Sept. 24
10 a.m.: Morning skate
11:15 a.m.: Practice (non-game players)
7 p.m.: at New York Rangers, Madison Square Garden, New York, N.Y.
Radio: WashingtonCaps.com

Friday, Sept. 25
Day Off

Washington -- Brent Johnson made 34 saves, Alex Ovechkin had a goal and an assist, and the Washington Capitals defeated Olaf Kolzig and the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-2 before an announced 17,932 at Verizon Center. Washington is now 6-0-1 at home in the 2008-09 campaign.

Kolzig received a warm reception from the fans during the player introductions, the National Anthem, and in a video tribute in the first television timeout. But his former teammates treated him rudely, scoring on their first two shots of the game, though neither could really be attributed to the veteran goalie.

"After the game, I told the guys, 'Why try when you are down 3-0? Why do it then?"' Lightning coach Barry Melrose said. "It was very disappointing to play like that in front of Olie in Washington. ... Probably the biggest game he's played in years and they show up and do that for him. Those guys should all be hiding their eyes when they walk by Olie Kolzig tonight."

Tampa Bay played poorly in the first period, but the Caps were definitely taking it to them. D Tom Poti scored on the first shot of the game, on a perfect cross-ice pass from tough guy Donald Brashear. Brashear carried the puck into the offensive zone, pulled up at the short boards, then slid the puck though to Poti, who deposited the puck top shelf against Kolzig from point blank range.

Less than two minutes later, Ovechkin found Mike Green pinching in and Green blasted it glove side against "Olie the Goalie." Eric Fehr finished out the first period scoring with a slap shot from the top of the face off circle on a pass from Brooks Laich. Coach Bruce Boudreau, in his post-game comments, said his "North America Line" of Fehr, Laich and Steckel were "by far the best line we had," on this night.

Boudreau continued, "I don't want to diss a win," but then did, expressing concern with his team's "fancy" play, notably LW Alexander Semin passing on a shot when he was alone in the slot in order to pass to linemate Nicklas Backstrom. "I think this team has an awful lot more to give."

The coach had nothing but praise for his goalie though. Johnson, making his fourth consecutive start, was excellent once again. He gave up just two power play goals to veteran winger Gary Roberts, one with 26 seconds remaining in the game. He was clearly the first star of the game with a save percentage of 94.4%. When asked the last time he's had a four game stretch such as this, Johnson chuckled, "It's been a while." Earlier in the day, Johnson was named the NHL Third Star of the Week for his play last week, and he's off to a good start for next week.

About the possibility of starting Wednesday in Carolina, Johnson again laughed it off, knowing he was being baited, "I'm just going to do whatever Coach wants me to do. If I go on Wednesday, I go on Wednesday. If not, that's it."

The Caps' fourth goal was late in the third period, on a tip in from Alex Ovechkin standing in the crease. Alexander Semin gathered a pass from defenseman Jeff Schultz, wheeled at the face off circle and put the puck right on Ovechkin's stick. Ovechkin even commented afterwards that the puck skipped just at the last and went in off the shaft instead of the blade. Maybe the bounces are returning for last year's MVP, this being his first goal in nine games.

Photos (c) C. Nichols 2008.
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SCORESHEET

WAS: Poti (2) from Brashear and Erskine (1-8:20); Green (5) from Ovechkin and Backstrom (1-9:55); Fehr (1) from Laich and Steckel (1-16:24); Ovechkin (3) from Semin and Schultz (3-15:44)

TBY: Roberts (1) from Recchi and St. Louis (2-16:30-PP); Roberts (2) from Eminger and Jokinen (3-19:34-PP)

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THE GOOD, BAD AND UGLY

GOOD: Once again, Brent Johnson. Ladies and gentlemen, here's the Caps Number One Goalie, at least for the foreseeable future. He was the NHL's Third Star of the Week last week, where Numbers One and Two were goalies as well. He's been almost perfect, and coaches are loathe to give a hot goalie a night off. Johnson's manner in the locker room can't be better either, and his teammates are really rallying around him.

BAD: Not too much here, other than, as the Coach pointed out during the post-game presser, all the fancy passing. Both Ovechkin AND Semin passed on shots in the first period when they were open. Hard to imagine anyone needing to implore Ovie and Semin to shoot, but there you have it.

UGLY: Tampa Bay in the first period and Barry Melrose post-game. Tampa was TERRIBLE in the first period, and it's only because the Caps were passing on shot that it could have been worse. Melrose was visibly red-faced and angry after he addressed the media after the game, frustration for a miserable performance. His team just never caught up from the lousy start.

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NEXT GAME: Wednesday, November 12 at Carolina Hurricanes at 7:00 pm.

RECORD: 8-4-2-18, tied with Carolina for first in the Southeast Division. Three-game winning streak.

NOTES: Semin's assist on Ovechkin's goal gave him 22 points, tying him with Pittsburgh's Evgeni Malkin for the league lead.

Three players on the Lightning roster -- Kolzig, C Jeff Halpern and L Matt Pettinger -- have played more games with Washington than anyone currently with the Capitals. Kolzig holds the franchise record with 711 games played in a Washington uniform.

RW Viktor Kozlov, D Shaone Morrison and C/D Sergei Federov all sat with lingering injuries.

The Washington Capitals (7-4-2-16, second in the Southeast Division) host the Tampa Bay Lightning (5-4-4-14, third in the Southeast Division) at 7:00 pm from Verizon Center.

Homecoming. It has many connotations, but in this instance it means that the man that was the face of the Washington Capitals for 16 years returns to the place he called home for so long to face his former team and teammates for the first time wearing different colors. Olaf Kolzig, Olie The Goalie, Godzilla himself, is scheduled to be in net tonight as his current squad, the Tampa Bay Lightning, try to gain two points at the top of the tight Southeast Division.

Kolzig is relegated to backup status now, having played in just three of Tampa Bay's first 13 games. His numbers are good (1-1-1, 2.67, .925), evidence to his assertion that he can still play this game and be a contributing factor to a team's success. The way his tenure ended in DC surely still tastes bitter to him though, forgotten down the Capitals extremely impressive stretch run last year, then completely ignored in the seven game playoff series against Philadelphia.

What had to especially hurt was that media and fans all called for him to start later in the series due to the Flyers physical style of play in front of the net and the liberties they took with then-goalie Christobal Huet. A goalie, noted here, who was discarded almost as quickly as Kolzig was once the season was over. But no, Coach Bruce Boudreau stuck with Huet throughout the playoffs while Kolzig sat, preparing himself for the chance that never came while at the same time bracing himself for what he knew would be the end of his tenure in the only place he'd called home in his NHL career.

Boudreau needed no excuse -- Huet had played his way into the situation. GM George McPhee acquired him at the trade deadline for the job, and he was stellar helping the Capitals reach the playoffs on the last day of the season and stretching the series with the Flyers to seven games. So playing the hot hand and Kolzig missing the opportunity to help his team in the playoffs is certainly defensible. It remains, though, disappointing. Both to the legions of fans that would chant his name after a big save, and to the man himself.
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SPECIAL TEAMS

WAS: PP-22th (15.5%, 9/58); PK-14th (81.4, 13/70)
TBY: PP-26th (14.5%, 8/55); PK-21st (79.7%, 15/74)
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WHO'S HOT

WAS: LW Alexander Semin (11-10-21, +11); G Brent Johnson (NHL 3RD STAR OF THE WEEK; 3-1-2, 2.12, .929)

TBY: C Vincent Lecavalier (6-5-11, +5); C Vaclav Prospal (3-7-10, +6)

WHO'S NOT

WAS: C Nicklas Backstrom (0-5-5, +1); RW Matt Bradley (1-0-1, -2)

TBY: C Chris Gratton (0-2-2, even); LW Gary Roberts (0-1-1, -3)

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INJURIES

WAS: D Brian Pothier (concussion-OUT); D Shaone Morrisonn (groin-DTD/OUT); C/D Sergei Federov (undisclosed-DTD/OUT); Viktor Kozlov (undisclosed-OUT)

TBY: C Jeff Halpern (knee-OUT); RW Evgeny Artyukhin (groin-QUE)