Kolzig: Big brother is proud of little brother

MONTREAL - Fourteen years have passed since Olaf Kolzig hit the ice with a young Carey Price in Washington state to stay in shape during the NHL lockout.

Price was just 17 years old and in his second full season with the WHL's Tri-City Americans where Kolzig played his Junior hockey before turning pro and moving on to the big leagues.
In retrospect, it didn't take Price long to impress his 34-year-old veteran counterpart, who'd already suited up for 542 NHL games and won a Vezina Trophy as a member of the Washington Capitals by the time he came upon the future Habs starter.
"You could really see that he was going to be something special. He hadn't gotten drafted yet by Montreal, but I don't know if there's probably a better goalie demeanor-wise that played for that franchise. With all the pressure, he's very laid back and doesn't ever seem to get too rattled. It was actually fitting that Montreal drafted him," said Kolzig, on his workouts with the eventual fifth-overall selection in the 2005 NHL Draft. "The way he moved in the net as a kid, I put myself in his shoes when I was 18 and I was nowhere close as far as a goalie - physically and mentally - as he was back in Junior."

The two hit it off, with Kolzig serving as "more of a sounding board, someone to talk to" and a "big brother" for Price, who was still in the early stages of his time in Kennewick, WA.
He wasn't so much a goalie coach, because he thought Price was already far beyond his years technique-wise.
"Back then, either you were a butterfly or a stand-up goaltender. We didn't quite have the way they're playing now, with the reverse V-H and goalies sliding back and forth on their knees. The way he moved on his feet for a goalie his size, he was NHL-ready at that time," praised Kolzig, who currently serves as a professional development coach with the Capitals and is an ownership partner of the Americans, too. "I was there just kind of helping him prepare for what to expect and as someone to help him with any concerns that he had."

That doesn't mean that Price made Kolzig's time with the Americans a walk in the park, so to speak.
According to Kolzig, Price liked to put him to the test every once in a while.
"He liked to measure himself as far as toughness went. It's like a big brother, little brother thing. He wanted to take a poke at big brother, and there were times where he'd like to play-fight. He's a tough character, for sure," explained Kolzig with a laugh. "At the time, I was one of the biggest goalies. I had a bit of a temper on me and I was more feisty than your average goalie. He just wanted to kind of measure up, and we would have some fun altercations after practice."
And, Price did manage to give him a run for his money despite his young age.
"He was a solid kid," mentioned Kolzig. "The one thing I remember was how big his legs were. He was stout."
Price's accomplishments a source of pride
While Kolzig doesn't have the opportunity to watch too many of Price's games these days given his work duties with the Capitals, he knows that his "little brother" is still etching his name in the Canadiens' record books one outing at a time.
With a win on Tuesday night over the Calgary Flames, Price moved into a tie for second spot on the Canadiens' all-time wins list among goaltenders alongside Hall-of-Famer Patrick Roy.
He also surpassed Hall-of-Famer Jacques Plante for top spot on the Habs' all-time minutes played list among goaltenders as well.
Kolzig couldn't be prouder.
"It's amazing," said Kolzig, on Price joining Roy in the wins department. "First of all, accomplishing it with the all-time winningest franchise in the NHL and joining one of the all-time legends. That is monumental."

With 289 victories on his resume, Price is now just 14 wins shy of tying his former mentor.
So, how does Kolzig feel about that?
"I knew that would just be a matter of time," said Kolzig. "He's got the ability, obviously, to get to 400. The more the better."

What separates Price from the rest of the pack?
What makes Price special in between the pipes, shared Kolzig, is his even-keeled approach to the position.
"No matter how big the situation, he always seems to be unflappable. He plays the same way regardless if it's a gold medal game or something that's really on the line. People say that goalies rise to the occasion in those situations. I think it's more that goalies don't change their approach, they don't get flustered by the situation," explained Kolzig, who finished his NHL career with 719 games under his belt, along with a 2.71 goals-against average and a .906 save percentage. "So, when the pressure's on, he's just playing the way he's played the whole time. It just looks like he's rising to the occasion, when in reality he's just playing the same way and not giving in to the situation."

Not just a good player, but a good man, too
Price has always been a strong supporter of the Carson Kolzig Foundation, a nonprofit organization in Kennewick dedicated to education and resources for individuals with autism spectrum disorders and their families.
Named after Kolzig's son, who is affected by autism, it was established in 2004.
"Carey was always one of the big donors. He still helps out as far as if we need a jersey, he's donated masks and he's donated his own money at times," said Kolzig. "It just goes to show the type of person that he is. Even though Tri-Cities isn't his real home, he met his wife there and it's where he essentially got his pro career kicked off because he was drafted out of there. He's still a big part of the community and he helps support something that's near and dear to my heart. That means a lot. We're forever grateful for his involvement."