As the son of a Brazilian father of German descent and Canadian mother, Hollweg chose hockey over soccer.[citation needed] Even as a young boy, he assumed that someday he would be a professional hockey player. Because his Southern California hometown did not have a hockey program, his mother would drive him to neighboring cities to attend hockey clinics.[citation needed] He played in the 1996 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with the Team California minor ice hockey team. 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 (Western Hockey League). There, he was known as both a scorer and a tough player, even winning Player of the Week honors twice in his four seasons.[citation needed]\n', '

The 5\'11", 212-pounder was drafted by the New York Rangers in the eighth round (238th overall) of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft. Ex 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."[citation needed]\n', '

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.[citation needed] He did not 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 was part of the forechecking 4th line with Blair Betts and Colton Orr.[citation needed] Ryan has achieved all of these accomplishments while suffering from asthma since the age of 5.\n', '

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