Kolzig Returns: The Open Thread

I'm headed to the game, but I'll leave you all with this Open Thread in case you're hungry and/or want to discuss tonight's goings on. Enjoy.


Thanks, as always, to Gustafsson from OFB for the image of the card.

Of Apples And The Proximity To The Trees From Which They Fall

A longtime Caps fan can't help but feel a bit nostalgic after the Caps made Anton Gustafsson their first pick, twenty-first overall, in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, nearly thirty years to the day after the Caps selected Anton's father Bengt.

Personally, such nostalgia tends to send me straight for the white, corrugated cardboard boxes that house my hockey card collection (and to my old VHS tapes - that's Bengt at the 1:23 mark). Rooting through, I found the 1981 O-Pee-Chee gem below that included a brief description of the elder Gustafsson.


"A brilliant puckhandler for the Capitals. Bengt exhibits a graceful and fluid skating style. He's an opportunist with great finesse and uncanny hockey sense. Bengt works hard at both ends of the ice for the Capitals." [Emphasis added]

With that in mind, recall how Central Scouting's Director of European Scouting, Goran Stubb, described Anton pre-draft:

"Anton is a highly skilled player with strong puckhandling skills and playmaking ability. He is an effective passer through traffic who also has a good selection of shots. He's a tall, strong and talented two-way center with good vision and a fine understanding of the game. He plays a mature game even when playing against opponents who were two or three years older." [Emphasis added]

It's like déjà vu all over again, eh?

Anton's old man played 629 games in a Caps sweater and racked up 555 points along the way (good for fifth most in team history). If Gus II can produce anywhere near those numbers, it would be a most welcomed father-son similarity indeed.

Al Jensen, Al The Time

Quick - which Caps' goalie has the highest points percentage in team history (well, other than Cristobal Huet and a few guys who played just a game or three for D.C.)? Hint: see below. Or above.

If you didn't know the answer, head on over to Caps.com and get schooled on some history. And if you knew that Al Jensen's career .644 points percentage (94 wins, 48 losses and 18 ties) was a franchise best, well, good on you.

Click to enlarge

Hockey Card Of The Day

Inspired by my new favorite blog, Get High on Hockey (via this post of Greg's over at the FanHouse), I figured I'd start sharing some random hockey cards for your enjoyment. And while nothing can top the Olie Kolzig hot dog card, I've got a few gems in the collection that are begging for a wider audience.

First up? A pair of Russian brothers on roller blades who look like they're each around 12-years-old. That guy on the right, by the way, would go on to score 50+ goals in five different seasons, including two 60-goal campaigns and 59- and 58-goal seasons. All hail the Russian Rocket!

Kolzig, Hardee's And Hot Dogs

My buddy Dave of the very funny Quiet Library sent me an Olie Kolzig hockey card from back in 1990 (the card is from 1990 - Dave sent it this week), andI had to share it. As Dave said, "Olie looks like a line-cook at Hardee's in the pic on the back." Indeed, though now that he's got me thinking about food, I'm reminded that this card isn't quite as fantastic as the one in which Olie is on the bench holding a hot dog with "Olaf" written on it in mustard.

Update: Thanks to Gustafsson from OFB, here it is. Best... hockey card... ever.