Player Discussion Braden Holtby Appreciation Thread

[Bladerunner]

While we may not be unanimous as to why BH is struggling, it's all speculative inference for us, it seems we're nearly unanimous that Grubi should be getting more starts or even be the starter.

I keep thinking and asking - when will Trotz actually make the move? And give Grubi a real chance. Don't panic and go quickly back to BH if Grubi has one off game (BH has had plenty). But we know Barry

 

[Brian23]

Remember when I was called crazy last season when I said Holtby was a system goalie and we should sell high and save his cap space.

Because it makes zero sense. He's put up elite stats for 3 coaches, but he's suddenly a system goalie?

He's having a bad go of it, but even if he never regains his form he's not a system goalie.

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

Because it makes zero sense. He's put up elite stats for 3 coaches, but he's suddenly a system goalie?

He's having a bad go of it, but even if he never regains his form he's not a system goalie.

It makes perfect sense in the salary cap league. Clear out cap space so we don't have a sieve goalie taking payroll from the D.

Name a team in the cap era that was elite with a high paid goalie. Having a good cheap one was a blessing the GMBM failed to see.

 

[Brian23]

It makes perfect sense in the salary cap league. Clear out cap space so we don't have a sieve goalie taking payroll from the D.

Name a team in the cap era that was elite with a high paid goalie. Having a good cheap one was a blessing the GMBM failed to see.

nonononono. We're going back to the "System Goalie" argument. You didn't make the argument that having a high paid goalie means you don't win cups, you said he was a system goalie and shoul have been moved before it was apparent.

 

[g00n]

Every goaltender benefits from his team's system to some degree. It doesn't make him a system goalie.

Who exactly is another example of a "system goalie", and how the hell do you test for that?

 

[RandyHolt]

I think he is injured, likely a groin that wont heal until the offseason so there is not point in sitting him blah blah. I also think he got roughed up vs Toronto, and just hasn't looked the same since. On an off day in the series, he met with Korn and did one on one drill work, and iirc told the media he needed to call his sports pysch. That's one thing that may seem therapeutic to talk openly about, but I am not convinced. All Toronto did was take slappers at their players in the slot and get some sick deflection goals. So how to cure him.

I think you have to start Grubby. But Barry and old school coaches lean heavy on their vets to the very end, so doubt we see Grubby until we are down 3-1 or 3-0.

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

I was the biggest Holtby fan when he was paid at his system goalie skill level. Now that he demanded to be paid as elite goalie and can't preform to his contract, I'm out on him and have been.
Add in he throws his teammates under the bus when he fails, he should have been moved when it was clear he couldn't stop pivitol scoring chances and before our team was cap strapped and took a huge step back

 

[MrGone]

Remember when I was called crazy last season when I said Holtby was a system goalie and we should sell high and save his cap space.

Sell High? LOL people around here would rather hold on until he is worth nothing. Then make up our trash for your treasure trades as he walks for nothing. There is little difference between management and a lot of people around here. Maybe another new coach can make these guys play a full 60min?

He has always been a head case. And it was a strain to hold it together. And now he is coming apart. It was easy to see if you really watch.

 

[HTFN]

No, it was easy to see if you're going back through the past with a fine-toothed comb and a confirmation bias. His mental game has been a strength for years, and his willingness to train that aspect of the game doesn't make him weak, or assert that he has been weak mentally for years. That's insane.

 

[g00n]

Holtby has had a few bad playoffs and some bad regular season spells but again look at the OP in this thread. In 2014 people were saying the same things. He went on to post incredible numbers and win the Vezina.

We have to see what happens. I don't think he's the kind of guy to make it this far and then just give up. The only real question here IMO is whether or not he's peaked.

 

[RandyHolt]

Playing goalie is THE toughest position. 100% definitely mentally, and probably physically as well. They face extremely high pressure nightly but that is their job. It's not easy, and all goalies go through rough spells. But the great ones always bounce back.

I wonder if its possible for a goalie to get into bad habits playing behind an overall great team defense. Not going to look but we have been in the coveted Grant Jennings discussions for quite a few years in his tenure. Does Holts deserve some or much of that credit, of course. But if he deserved most of the credit, I think we'd all be saying he was stealing games more than we say do, which seems like never.

The good times are gone. Barry just cannot stop the high % shots he faces early in games. Braden has to prepare for those things to happen, likely more than ever before in his career. He needs to come out a little more aggressive on shooters to start games, for better or for worse.

 

[Bieronymus Trotz]

No, it was easy to see if you're going back through the past with a fine-toothed comb and a confirmation bias. His mental game has been a strength for years, and his willingness to train that aspect of the game doesn't make him weak, or assert that he has been weak mentally for years. That's insane.

It seems to make sense that players who are particularly in their own heads would see more pronounced highs and lows than otherwise as a result. Maybe when Holtby's in control of his mind and focused, it gives him a relative advantage over the typical player, and when he's rattled, the floor falls out. When he's discussed the stuff he does to maintain focus and so on, it's always seemed like something that's a way of coping with a problem like that.

 

[hockeykicker]

 

[hockeykicker]

 

[hockeykicker]

 

[RandyHolt]

The mind is weary. Don't blindly just ride the horse you rode in on, Barry!

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Suddenly he’s tired? Not buying it Brent.

 

[AtNightWeFly]

Fans have been screaming for months that Grubi needs more starts because Holtby looks incredibly worn-out. But noooooo the dinosaur behind the bench decided its best to put him out there game after game to get sliced and diced. This could've been handled so much better had he split their time up in half and no one would even notice. Instead he created a drama.

 

[Todos a la Calle]

Why not? Seems like a pretty feasible explanation to me.

Suddenly he’s tired? Not buying it Brent.

 

[Langway]

Oh, I buy it. It's not just cumulative fatigue but the additional nightly fatigue relative to past seasons in facing so many quality shots.

 

[Skrudland2Lomakin]

Suddenly he’s tired? Not buying it Brent.

Yes, that's how fatigue works, I don't even Brent is alluding to it being purely physical, it onsets at after you reach the breaking point. I remember there being an article not long ago about how much weight Holtby loses in a single game, I think they talked about him getting IV drips during intermissions. To me this course of logic makes sense for last season too in the PlOffs. Every year we ride Holtby into the ground and then wonder why he stinks in the PlOffs. Brent is spot on, if you're a goalie it's a lot harder to compensate for fatigue and poor play.


This is a quality of HF Boards I've always found funny and liked though, in the same way I like bad 80's action movies. We get to have the insight of a guy who played goalie in the NHL and spends time around the team, and posters are super quick to go "I don't know, from my couch I'm pretty sure this guy is wrong." I'm not saying analysts and players are the be-all-end-all, I just think it's funny how their opinions are discarded as quickly as any other poster. Brent Johnson played goalie in the NHL for 15 years, he has covered the Capitals for 3 years, and on HFBoards his take has as much weight as Gordon from Moosejaw who is serving a lifetime ban from his local beer league for trying to stab the ref in the face with his skate.

Holtby's prior 3 seasons:
73 GP
66 GP
63 GP

I would have to imagine he is close if not #1 in games played in the last 3 years for goalies.

 

[RandyHolt]

If he's not injured tired or fatigued, mentally andor physically, what else explains his drop off. Korn is gone!!!1! only goes so far. How did he get to where he was without Korn? And he had Korn more than most get to have him.

You look tired. Are ya tired, Lisa? If you're suggesting I stayed up all night trying to solve that childish puzzle you're right. #Simpsons

 

[trick9]

Yes, that's how fatigue works, I don't even Brent is alluding to it being purely physical, it onsets at after you reach the breaking point. I remember there being an article not long ago about how much weight Holtby loses in a single game, I think they talked about him getting IV drips during intermissions. To me this course of logic makes sense for last season too in the PlOffs. Every year we ride Holtby into the ground and then wonder why he stinks in the PlOffs. Brent is spot on, if you're a goalie it's a lot harder to compensate for fatigue and poor play.


This is a quality of HF Boards I've always found funny and liked though, in the same way I like bad 80's action movies. We get to have the insight of a guy who played goalie in the NHL and spends time around the team, and posters are super quick to go "I don't know, from my couch I'm pretty sure this guy is wrong." I'm not saying analysts and players are the be-all-end-all, I just think it's funny how their opinions are discarded as quickly as any other poster. Brent Johnson played goalie in the NHL for 15 years, he has covered the Capitals for 3 years, and on HFBoards his take has as much weight as Gordon from Moosejaw who is serving a lifetime ban from his local beer league for trying to stab the ref in the face with his skate.

Holtby's prior 3 seasons:
73 GP
66 GP
63 GP

I would have to imagine he is close if not #1 in games played in the last 3 years for goalies.

He's #1 by a fair margin. Since the start of '14-'15 season he has 250 games. Rask, Rinne and Dubnyk are 2-4 between 238-241 games. Schneider and Lundqvist are tied for 5th with 224 games. That's 26 less than Holtby. Hell, only 12 goalies have played 200 games during that stretch.

 

[hb12xchamps]

Sell High? LOL people around here would rather hold on until he is worth nothing. Then make up our trash for your treasure trades as he walks for nothing. There is little difference between management and a lot of people around here. Maybe another new coach can make these guys play a full 60min?

He has always been a head case. And it was a strain to hold it together. And now he is coming apart. It was easy to see if you really watch.

I literally think you only pop into threads to say the same general idea in different sentence forms.

You actually can go to multiple threads on the Caps and Trade boards and there are multiple Caps fans (myself included) that would be willing to move Holtby's 6+ million off the books should the Caps flame out again. He'd net us some much needed cap space & breathing room to upgrade the D and would net us some assets in return

 

[Skrudland2Lomakin]

He's #1 by a fair margin. Since the start of '14-'15 season he has 250 games. Rask, Rinne and Dubnyk are 2-4 between 238-241 games. Schneider and Lundqvist are tied for 5th with 224 games. That's 26 less than Holtby. Hell, only 12 goalies have played 200 games during that stretch.

Well that really settles it.

Thanks for the data