Ryan Hollweg

Ryan Hollweg
Born	April 23, 1983 Downey, CA, US
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 Downey, California) is a left-handed center for the New York Rangers of the NHL. His brother Bryce is an alternate captain for the Army NCAA hockey team.

As the son of a Brazilian father (of German descent) 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 8th 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."

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 in 2005. He has returned to the Rangers, where he has been part of a forechecking 4th line with Blair Betts and Jed Ortmeyer.

On March 8, 2007, at 13:29 of the third period of a game between the Rangers and the New York Islanders, Ryan Hollweg finished a check on Chris Simon, catching the sizable forward off-guard. 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.

Awards

• WHL Player of the week (March 2000, January 2004)

External links

• It's a state of mind for Rangers' Hollweg (nj.com)
• Player stats (hockeydb.com)