Olaf Kolzig, a goaltender for the Washington Capitals for 17 years, will leave the National Hockey League team after being benched for French netminder Cristobal Huet late this season.
Kolzig told the Washington Post that he was unhappy when Huet, obtained from the Montreal Canadiens in a late-season trade, was made the number one puck-stopper during the Capitals' unlikely late-season run to the NHL playoffs.
"For me, it was disappointing the way it ended," Kolzig told the newspaper. "It's unfortunate because they have a good team here now. Not to be a part of that is going to be tough, especially after 17 years and three years of what we went through post-lockout."
South African-born Kolzig, set to become a free agent, led the Capitals to their only Stanley Cup Finals appearance in 1998 and in 2000 won the Vezina Trophy as the NHL's top goaltender.
Kolzig, 38, went 301-293 with 23 overtime losses and 63 drawn in 711 NHL career games, all with Washington.
But once Huet was obtained, Kolzig was mainly relegated to a reserve role. He won his 300th career game in March at home against Calgary but watched from the bench as the Capitals won 11 of their last 12 games to reach the playoffs.
Philadelphia eliminated the Flyers four games to three in a best-of-seven first round series, scoring the winner past Huet in overtime. Kolzig was unhappy at being kept on the bench after the Flyers seized a 3-1 series lead.
"When you're down three games to one in the playoffs, I felt like it was an opportunity for me to get in there with the experience I have," Kolzig said.
"Our backs were against the wall, but it didn't happen. I said to myself, 'My time here in Washington has passed. They've chosen to go in a different direction, and this was the exclamation point on it'."
Huet, also a free agent, won 11 of 13 starts with the Capitals in the regular season and told the Post he wants to return to the Washington crease.
Kolzig, who has played internationally for Germany, went 25-21 with six regulation draws this season with a 2.91 goals-against average and an 89.2 save percentage. He is debating between retirement and signing with another club.
"I haven't completely made up my mind," Kolzig said. "For me, it's all about my family. The situation has to be good for my family.
"I still feel that I can be a dominant goalie in this league. If the offer is not out there ... I'll just sit by the pool with a six-pack."
