From Damian Cristodero at the St Pete Times:
Lightning backup Olie Kolzig will have surgery on Saturday to repair a ruptured distal biceps tendon in his left forearm. The surgery will be performed in Washington by orthopedist Ben Shaffer, a Capitals team physician who treated Kolzig when he played in Washington. Lightning head trainer Tommy Mulligan said Kolzig will be out three to four months. Unless Tampa Bay makes the playoffs, his season is over. It is unclear how this will affect the 17-year veteran’s career. Kolzig spoke during Wednesday’s practice and said he will not make any decisions about his future until the summer. He admitted, however, “In my mind, there’s a lot of doubt for my future as far as hockey goes.”
Credit the assist to Kukla for the pointer.
11 Comments
Any chance of a “retire-with-us” contract offer from the Caps? If we can dress Stretch for a game, surely we can offer Olie something…
I was of the opinion when he was benched for Huet that he should have considered his career over. That injury is a message from the universe, and if he was smart, he’d take it as such. Love him, but he’s done, and if he’s smart enough to know it, he’ll accept it and retire.
So sad. I hate to see him go out like that. Given the state of his departure last season I suppose there’s no chance of him working for the Caps in some capacity if he does retire. I really love that guy!
Amen, HockeyGrl76. i really love Olie too. it really breaks my heart that he left to be a backup for a crap team and now may be forced to retire. would have so preferred that he had retired with us at the end of last season…or at least stayed on as a back up here!!
Any chance we can trade Nylander for Olie? We can put Olie on IR so we don’t take the cap hit and we get rid of Nylander. I’m not sure I see a downside.
That is one of the best ideas I’ve heard in a while.
Please…… Sorry to hear about Olie’s condition, but the writing was on the wall…in CAPITAL letters! Should’ve retired and taken a front office job, and be on his knees thanking the hockey gods’ for the 50 million (or so) the Caps’ paid him over the past decade. Instead he fumes, leaves, signes with the Titanic of the NHL. Freakin’spare me.
Man, some of these comments piss me off, because they’re saying, basically, “Love the guy but he’s an idiot for signing with Tampa Bay.”
(That would be Scrappy and This Space For Rent, in case you were wondering.)
Great googley moogley, you guys are [arrogant]. Do you know who made the decision to sign for TB for Olie? Some dude named Olie. Do you know why he made that decision?
In your arrogance you do, but I confess I do not…however, I suspect it was because he made the decision he felt was right for him and his family. And it is arrogantly [crappy] of you to tell him he made the wrong decision.
[admin: two edits made which did not change the outcome/tone/content of the comment]
Did somebody take a whiz in your Cheerios this morning, Victor? I do think he should have retired. I’m entitled to my opinion, just as he’s entitled to his and you’re entitled to yours (as foul-mouthed and crass as it might be). My opinion matters as much as yours does (absolutely frickin’ nothing). I’ve never said it isn’t his life, but sometimes you’ve got to be honest with yourself, and I think this has been coming for a while.
Now go take ten deep breaths and a cup of chamomile tea, because there’s no reason to go ballistic over it.
Dang, I forgot the most important point I wanted to make:
Best wishes for a speedy recovery, Olie.
The fact that Olie continues to raise such passions among Cap fans is just more evidence of his impact in Washington. Kolzig is way more than half the reason I became and stayed a hockey fan. I’m pushing 50, and I almost wrote him a letter when he left Washington to thank him for the example he set for my kids. Sure I hated it when he left, but how many of us were ready to admit we were washed up at our chosen profession at age 37? Especially if teams were offering $ to give it one more try? Here’s to you Olie! Get well soon, and let’s hope Ted can get you back here in the front office somehow.
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