Hockey
Kolzig: Caps Are 'Playoff Team' After Signings
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Olie Kolzig didn't have to think very long when asked whether this summer's flurry of free agent signings have transformed the Washington Capitals into legitimate playoff contenders.
"You want to be greedy and get more players, no question," Kolzig said yesterday, speaking at Kettler Capitals Iceplex after skating through an informal practice with some fellow NHL players. "But with who we have in this room right now, we are a playoff team."
The Capitals' goaltender was referring to the addition of veteran free agents Michael Nylander, Viktor Kozlov and Tom Poti, each of whom were signed in July, as well as 2006 first-round draft pick Nicklas Backstrom, who agreed to terms in May.
"We've got the makings of being a very good team for a long time," Kolzig added. "Hopefully that starts coming to fruition this year."
Training camp doesn't begin until Sept. 14, but that didn't stop Kolzig, 37, from arriving in Washington nearly a month early to continue his rigorous offseason training routine while facing shots from teammates Boyd Gordon and Brian Pothier, as well as Dallas's Jeff Halpern and Florida's David Booth, during daily 1 1/2 -hour sessions in Arlington.
"You have to work twice as hard as you did when you were 25," said Kolzig, who was sporting red, white and blue pads and a mask that matches the Capitals' new uniforms. "That's just nature taking over. If you ask all the guys who retire, it's the grind in the summer that gets to you. But I still do it and get through it. I just wish camp would start tomorrow so I could get out of this. Summer hockey is a necessary evil."
Kolzig also said he would like to play at least three more seasons, preferably in Washington. His contract expires next July and he acknowledged that negotiations on an extension have not begun.
"I've been through the tough times here the past couple of years," Kolzig said. "And now we're hopefully starting to see the fruit of everyone's labor. This is the time when this team is supposed to blossom. I want to be here when this team peaks.
"I feel I'm still competitive. I still have that fire burning. I still feel like I'm one of the top guys in the league."
-- Tarik El-Bashir
