Ryan Hollweg
| Ryan Hollweg | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Born |
April 23, 1983 Downey, CA | ||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) | ||
| Weight | 210 lb (95 kg; 15 st 0 lb) | ||
| Position | Left Wing | ||
| Shoots | Left | ||
| NHL team | New York Rangers | ||
| NHL draft |
238th overall, 2001 New York Rangers | ||
| Playing career | 2005–present | ||
Ryan Hollweg (born April 23, 1983 in Downey, California) is a professional ice hockey forward for the New York Rangers of the NHL. His brother, Bryce Hollweg, is an alternate captain for the Army NCAA hockey team.
As the son of a brazilian father and Canadian mother, Hollweg chose hockey over soccer. Even as a young boy, he knew that someday he would be a professional hockey player. His mother would drive him to neighboring cities to attend hockey clinics. He left Downey at 14 to play junior hockey in British Columbia, and was impressive in scoring 54 points in 58 games in 1998-99 for the Langley Hornets (BCHL). In 1999, he was drafted #1 by the Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL). There, he was known as both a scorer and a tough player, even winning Player of the Week honors twice in his four seasons.
The 5'11" 207-pounder was drafted by the New York Rangers in the eighth round (238th overall) of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft. Current Rangers coach Tom Renney, who was director of player personnel at the time, states that although he had doubts about Hollweg's small size, his heart was the difference. "You want to give him a try. You just don't discount the heart and the character of a guy like that. Because these kinds of people will themselves into those opportunities."
Playing with the Medicine Hat Tigers in the WHL, Hollweg missed most of the 2002-03 season due to a severe concussion, but bounced back to score 57 points in 2003-04. He spent 2004-05 with the Hartford Wolf Pack (AHL), and amassed 239 penalty minutes while earning a reputation as a gritty forechecker and occasional fighter. He didn't make the New York Rangers team at training camp in 2005 but in November, after 7 games in Hartford was called up to the team, where he has since been part of the forechecking 4th line with Blair Betts and Colton Orr. Ryan has achieved all of these accomplishments while suffering from asthma since the age of 5.[1]
On March 8, 2007, at 13:25 of the third period of a game between the Rangers and the New York Islanders, Ryan Hollweg delivered a check on Chris Simon, sending the sizeable forward into the boards head-first. After recovering, Simon proceeded to intentionally hit Hollweg in the jaw with his stick. Hollweg later recovered and left the ice under his own power. He received two stitches on his chin and returned to the game later in the third period. Subsequently, Simon was assessed a 25 game suspension for his actions.
On January 10, 2008, Ryan Hollweg had the first two goal game of his career against the Philadelphia Flyers at Madison Square Garden. He scored his first goal of the 2007-2008 season at 4:43 of the first period and added his second goal at 7:42 of the first period. Hollweg hadn't scored a goal since February 9, 2007.
On February 3, 2008, Hollweg was assessed a five minute penalty and ejected from a game against the Montreal Canadiens after intentionally checking left wing Sergei Kostitsyn head first into the boards. The incident occurred after Hollweg was hit with an elbow by fellow Canadien Alexei Kovalev, which was missed by referees.
Awards
- WHL Player of the week (March 2000, January 2004)