Kolzig was born in Johannesburg, South Africa to German parents (he played internationally for Germany), but grew up in Canada, including in Union Bay, British Columbia when he was a teenager. He played all but the final eight games of his NHL career with the Washington Capitals and was the first goalie in team history to win 300 games.

Though Kolzig was taken by the Capitals in the first round (No. 19) of the 1989 NHL Draft, he was anything but an overnight success. He had brief callups in 1989-90, 1992-93 and 1993-94, and it wasn't until 1996-97 that he went a full season within playing in the minors. Even in 1996-97, he was No. 2 behind Jim Carey and went 8-15 with four ties, though his 2.59 goals-against average for a non-playoff team hinted at better things to come.

Those better things arrived in 1997-98. Kolzig won the starting job, went 33-18 with 10 ties, a 2.20 GAA and .920 save percentage. The Capitals went from missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 1996-97 to their first Cup Final, where they were swept by the Detroit Red Wings. He led all goalies in the playoffs with four shutouts.

Kolzig started at least 50 games from 1997-98 through 2007-08. His best season came in 1999-2000, when he finished with an NHL career-high 41 victories, a 2.24 GAA and .917 save percentage. He was voted winner of the Vezina Trophy as the top goalie in the NHL.

That was the first of four straight 30-win seasons for Kolzig. The last came in 2002-03, when he won 33 games and helped the Capitals reach the playoffs, something they didn't do again until 2007-08. He won the King Clancy Trophy for leadership and humanitarian efforts in 2006.

Kolzig remained the starter until late in the 2007-08 season, when the Capitals acquired Cristobal Huet in a trade with the Montreal Canadiens on Feb. 26, 2008 and made him the starter. Kolzig earned his 300th NHL victory by defeating the Calgary Flames on March 12, 2008, but backed up Huet during the playoffs, became a free agent and signed with the Tampa Bay Lightning on July 1, 2008, as a backup to Mike Smith. However, he played eight games before a ruptured biceps tendon in his left arm forced him to miss the rest of the season.

He officially retired Sept. 22, 2009, ending his NHL career by going 303-297-24 and 63 ties, a 2.71 GAA, .906 save percentage and 35 shutouts. Kolzig was 20-24 in the playoffs but had a 2.14 GAA, .927 save percentage and six shutouts.

NOTES & TRANSACTIONS

• WHL West Second All-Star Team (1989)
• Harry Hap Holmes Memorial Award (AHL - fewest goals against) (1994) (shared with Byron Dafoe)
• Jack A. Butterfield Trophy (AHL - Playoff MVP) (1994)
• NHL First All-Star Team (2000)
• Played in NHL All-Star Game (1998, 2000)
• Signed as a free agent by Berlin (Germany), February 2, 2005.
• Signed as a free agent by Tampa Bay, July 1, 2008.
• Traded to Toronto by Tampa Bay with Jamie Heward, Andy Rogers and Carolina's 4th round pick (previously acquired, later forfeited) in 2009 NHL Draft for Richard Petiot, March 4, 2009.
• Officially announced his retirement, September 22, 2009.