Washington Capitals: Top 10 toughest players of all-time

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Olaf Kolzig, Washington Capitals (Photo by Graig Abel/Getty Images) /

#5 Olaf Kolzig

Yes believe it or not a goaltender has made it onto this list and for good reason. Playing goalie in the NHL is the worlds toughest position with all the pressure that comes with it and the toughest of them all to suit up for the Washington Capitals was Olaf Kolzig.

Kolzig helped lead the Caps to their first appearance in the Stanley Cup Finals in 1998 with a Conn Smythe or Vezina, however you want to look at it, type of performance. He had a .941 save percentage and a 1.95 goals against average that spring along with four shutouts.

Michael Farber of Sports Illustrated wrote that Kolzig had a temper and used to be “that wild thing” in net. By controlling himself, he mastered others and in turn became an elite goaltender.

But that didn’t mean Kolzig wasn’t afraid to unleash the fury. One time he confronted Pittsburgh Penguins enforcer Francois Leroux in a 1996 playoff meeting. In a 1998 brawl with the Boston Bruins, he had to be restrained by his best friend Byron Dafoe as he kept Kolzig from squaring off with Ken Belanger.

There is a reason why fans and teammates alike all call Olaf Kolzig Godzilla.

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