Could Kolzig Be The Right Mentor For Price?
Posted 12:48 PM ET | Comments 5
Olaf Kolzig has called it quits for the Washington Capitals, being that Kolzig did play a few years for Tri-City, and that Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price played for them as well, would the two work good together?
Consider this, Bob Gainey ( general manager for the Habs ) has what one might call an issue with his goal-tenders, Carey Price is the no.1, but Jaroslav Halak, who only played sparingly this season, would like to play more than 25 games next season. Halak who becomes a restricted free agent July 1, 2008 poses somewhat of a problem for Gainey. What does Bob Gainey do?
Olaf Kolzig still has two good years left, if he plays in a reduced capacity. Kolzig who is 38, was the no.1 goalie this year in Washington, at that age it is difficult to manage the the stress level of playing 60 games a season, just ask Dominik Hasek.
Bob Gainey traded his veteran goalie ( Christobal Huet ) to the Capitals at the trade deadline for a second round draft pick, questioned by some, as to if trading your veteran net-minder before the post season was a good move, Gainey replied that Price needed room to grow, and could not do so if Huet was taking up most of the room.
I believe that Gainey made the right move at the time, as Price was the second goalie. How could Huet be second string to Price, but if Kolzig was to enter the picture as a mentor/back-up goalie, seeing that he wasn't the no.1 in Montreal, and that his #1 days are behind him, would the duo of Price Kolzig prove fruitful for the Canadiens? I think so.
If Gainey would talk to Kolzig's agent, and be assured that come July 1, 2008 that Kolzig would sign with the Habs, then Gainey would be able to trade Halak at the draft, either to move up in the draft, or combine Halak with Montreal's 25th pick, as well as a player, or two, to possibly obtain a big, physical forward, mainly a centre, to play on the third line.
Kolzig coming to Montreal would solve a couple of problems for the Canadiens, first the Habs would have the veteran goalie to mentor, and back-up Price, and secondly, it would give Gainey the advantage of trading Halak before he becomes an RFA.
Hopefully the intelligent staff that Gainey has working for him will see this possibilty, and act accordingly.
I believe that Kolzig would be another piece of the puzzle in Montreal. Kolzig could accept a diminshed role, as I'm sure that he knows that the probability of a team signing him to be no.1 is almost zero per cent, why not be a back-up in Montreal, there are worse things to be at the tail end of ones career.
Consider this, Bob Gainey ( general manager for the Habs ) has what one might call an issue with his goal-tenders, Carey Price is the no.1, but Jaroslav Halak, who only played sparingly this season, would like to play more than 25 games next season. Halak who becomes a restricted free agent July 1, 2008 poses somewhat of a problem for Gainey. What does Bob Gainey do?
Olaf Kolzig still has two good years left, if he plays in a reduced capacity. Kolzig who is 38, was the no.1 goalie this year in Washington, at that age it is difficult to manage the the stress level of playing 60 games a season, just ask Dominik Hasek.
Bob Gainey traded his veteran goalie ( Christobal Huet ) to the Capitals at the trade deadline for a second round draft pick, questioned by some, as to if trading your veteran net-minder before the post season was a good move, Gainey replied that Price needed room to grow, and could not do so if Huet was taking up most of the room.
I believe that Gainey made the right move at the time, as Price was the second goalie. How could Huet be second string to Price, but if Kolzig was to enter the picture as a mentor/back-up goalie, seeing that he wasn't the no.1 in Montreal, and that his #1 days are behind him, would the duo of Price Kolzig prove fruitful for the Canadiens? I think so.
If Gainey would talk to Kolzig's agent, and be assured that come July 1, 2008 that Kolzig would sign with the Habs, then Gainey would be able to trade Halak at the draft, either to move up in the draft, or combine Halak with Montreal's 25th pick, as well as a player, or two, to possibly obtain a big, physical forward, mainly a centre, to play on the third line.
Kolzig coming to Montreal would solve a couple of problems for the Canadiens, first the Habs would have the veteran goalie to mentor, and back-up Price, and secondly, it would give Gainey the advantage of trading Halak before he becomes an RFA.
Hopefully the intelligent staff that Gainey has working for him will see this possibilty, and act accordingly.
I believe that Kolzig would be another piece of the puzzle in Montreal. Kolzig could accept a diminshed role, as I'm sure that he knows that the probability of a team signing him to be no.1 is almost zero per cent, why not be a back-up in Montreal, there are worse things to be at the tail end of ones career.
I agree 100%
A few comments. First of all, did you realize that Kolzig co-owns Tri-Cities (with Stu Barnes) and that he spent the lockout working with Price (prior to going to Germany to get in a few games)? While that is an extension of your thoughts regarding a mentor for Price, the fact of the matter is that Kolzig will not accept a role as backup, something he has talked extensively about this week to the DC press. He does not feel he would be able to be a successful backup as he needs games in order to get into a groove (which has been the case his whole career) and would want to be assured of playing approximately 50 games or so. Its a nice thought, but Kolzig isn't going to Montreal. I do wish him the best of luck wherever he lands, if he lands, or in retirement.
We'll see, like I said, who will sign Kolzig as a no.1?
toronto?
Montreal needs a vet, we saw it in the playoffs. Early this season when the Habs pulled off that 5 goal comeback, it was Huet who they turned to. When running a young goalie like Price they need a good insurance policy. As much as I root for Olie I'm not sure a club is gonna commit to him in a starting role.