Nicknamed "Olie the Goalie", Kölzig was born in South Africa to German parents and grew up in several cities across Canada.

During his time with the Americans, he had an on-ice fistfight with Portland Winter Hawks goaltender Byron Dafoe, who also settled in the Comox Valley with his family at a young age.

In 1994, as a member of the Pirates, he won both the 1994 Jack A. Butterfield Trophy as MVP of the AHL playoffs, and the 1994 Hap Holmes Memorial Award.

He backstopped the Capitals to the Stanley Cup Finals, being one of only 21 goalies in NHL history to record four shutouts in one postseason.

[citation needed] The Capitals qualified for the playoffs, and Huet started every game in their first round series against the Philadelphia Flyers.

[citation needed] On 1 July 2008, Kölzig became an unrestricted free agent and signed a $1.5 million, 1-year contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning,[7] where he served as the back-up goalie to Mike Smith.

Upon Kölzig's return to D.C. as a member of Tampa Bay, he was loudly cheered and a video in tribute to his time with the Caps was shown.

[8] On 28 January 2009, it was announced that Kölzig would miss the rest of the 2008–09 season due to a ruptured biceps tendon in his left arm.

[10] As he was at that time suffering from an injury that would see him out for the rest of the 2008–09 season, the end of which would also see his contract expire, his acquisition from Tampa Bay was largely seen as an effort by Toronto general manager Brian Burke to "buy" the 4th round pick by taking on Kölzig's deadweight salary.

[15] In 2004, the Capitals held a vote for fans to determine the top 30 players in the franchise history to celebrate their 30th season in the league.