Player Discussion Braden Holtby Appreciation Thread

[maacoshark]

he redeemed himself... a bad start in the season and now he plays like a solid #1

His first few games were decent. He only had 2 bad games. Against Nashville and Colorado. He has done well especially considering the team defence has been very shaky.
Most people here think he will not return. He might not. But we don't have a goalie ready to step into the starting role. Sorry guys but Samsonov isn't ready.
The Caps might be better off signing him if they can.

 

[txpd]

His first few games were decent. He only had 2 bad games. Against Nashville and Colorado. He has done well especially considering the team defence has been very shaky.
Most people here think he will not return. He might not. But we don't have a goalie ready to step into the starting role. Sorry guys but Samsonov isn't ready.
The Caps might be better off signing him if they can.

A lot of water still to go under that bridge

 

[Ridley Simon]

Time to revisit the Holtby discussion is his actual thread. Apologies for TL; DR. But here are my meandering thoughts.

as most know, I’m old and have watched this team for more than 40yrs. I’ve seen it all (mostly). So I think I can weigh in here with at least a modicum of experience with not only this team, but hockey in general.

so..... Holtby.

I love him. His calm calculating cool demeanour has been a major influence on this team, and the franchise. He did what no other previous G could do for this franchise: backstop a very talented team to the ultimate goal — the Stanley Cup.

what does that mean? I would say a lot. But does it buy him a spot on this team for the rest of the season? Obviously had we not won the Cup, I think the entire board would have turned on him by now, and wanted him and his large Sal cap slot gone. With warrant. He’s been pretty much pedestrian at best for the better part of 3 seasons. Some with Korn, and now some without. It’s a far large enough sample size to believe that this is now simply “who he is”. But of course: Cup. And also of course: Goalies are a weird lot and they can come and go with their capabilities. Much like most players, there are inconsistencies. It’s just glaring in net.

so where are we? This team has a LEGITIMATE shot to win it again now. Depth in most places, tons of high end talent, a good room, hunger to win, and the experience of having “done it” already. It’s all there. Which is rare. Only real time in the franchises history we have that all.

there is a large (very large) argument that GMBM needs to be all in this year. Like now. A 6m backup G is useless. We can get a far cheaper back up Vet G on the market now. From a bottom team. We all know this. So... The question is whether #70 is capable of leading the team to another title.

we have a few weeks to figure it out. But if the braintrust thinks he can’t actually handle a playoff load, then they need to find someone else that can back up Sammy. And the bonus to that is they’d have a lot more Cap Space to fill out the D issues (or another top 9F). 2-3 extra M would go a long long way to upgrading Jensen or 3W for this team.

I’m in the camp of ....wait. Of course unless a screaming deal comes along that you need to do now. Which I doubt. But...many other franchises will look at what #70 has accomplished so far in his career and think they can coach him up or a change of scenery will do it. Calgary comes to mind. As does Edmonton. Or even a San Jose or a Chicago. All western teams that could easily make a run as it’s a weak conference overall.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

I wonder who is on his no trade list? I can’t imagine anyone blowing the doors off with a killer trade offer.

I’d prefer to keep him and let him ride off into the sunset.

I think the Braintrust fully expect him to rebound for the playoffs.

 

[Corby78]

My issue is the way he is playing, and with him on a contract year, I don't know what you will get for him. He isn't the answer for us then its hard to sell to a contender, and if your selling to a non-playoff team, they would need to resign him to get a number one goalie long term. (and we all know he is going to try to bank on his deal). So now were looking at multiple deals to unload Holtby for space, then get an upgrade and backup. Not impossible, but not as easy.

Also I think you need to weigh the room. It would be one thing to take Sammy as a starter into the playoffs, it would be another to trade Holtby away. If that would irk the room, I'm not sure its worth it. I'm leaning towards giving Sammy more starts and if Holtby is the backup on his way out, so be it.

 

[Ajax1995]

I’d prefer to keep him and let him ride off into the sunset.

I think the Braintrust fully expect him to rebound for the playoffs.

Yeah I agree. I’m not saying what has been suggested as far as moving him and using the space to upgrade elsewhere doesn’t make sense in a bubble. But I think it is much easier said than done and off hand I can’t think of an obvious 1 for 1 deal and multiple deals under a relatively tight deadline is probably too many moving parts to get done.

And having a been there done that all the way to the cup goalkeeper going into the playoffs when your other keeper is a rookie is a very nice option IMO. Especially if Samsonov gets the game 1 start and wilts under the bright lights of his first NHL playoffs. And it isn’t like Holtby hasn’t gotten it done under that exact scenario before.

 

[StrikingDistance]

They're keeping him. This is like the Blue's situation last year except the Caps are top of the league instead the bottom. Jake Allen aka Jake All-in was the starter and was playing poorly. Binny shows up and plays light-out and quickly gains the confidence of the staff, gets more and more starts, then becomes #1 in regular season and playoffs.

I think we're at the point where we are seeing the changing of the starter. The team plays more confidently with Sammy on the ice.

 

[Raikkonen]

There will be some goalies available.
Why would any team trade for Holtby?

Doubtful you can change him for adequate backup at deadline. Not worth the risk of losing the depth.

Holtby himself is depth because every skater deep inside hopes he can regain his form if Sammy fails. Thats calming.

Trade him and there are questions.

I bet he stays and will be traded to Calgary for 5th before draft.

 

[895]

Holtby will 100% not be traded and he will 100% be leaving this off season.

Everyone needs to make their peace with both those facts.

 

[Silky mitts]

Holtby will 100% not be traded and he will 100% be leaving this off season.

Everyone needs to make their peace with both those facts.

Offseason trade, Caps got a 4th for Halak

 

[Melkor]

Holtby isn't getting traded. Its not a question of what we want, its what the front office will do. But for the sake of discussion I'd say that in this particular case the locker room chemistry is getting blown way out of proportion by many. Yes, it's a big part of success 90% of the time. Yes, Holtby is a long time veteran and has been a part of the core for many years but... He's not a part of the solution by the looks of it this season, he's not giving a chance to win to his team, he's slowly losing his starter job, arguably already lost it. Is it worth it to keep him to warm the bench and please his friends on the team and leave obvious holes on the roster unpatched coming into the playoffs? Not sure about that. Quite honestly, not buying that. But he's not getting traded, period.

 

[searle]

Most people here think he will not return. He might not. But we don't have a goalie ready to step into the starting role. Sorry guys but Samsonov isn't ready.
The Caps might be better off signing him if they can.

Oh Maaco. How I miss you.

 

[searle]

Holtby will 100% not be traded and he will 100% be leaving this off season.

Everyone needs to make their peace with both those facts.

This is it. He sucks right now but having him as a potential black ace in the playoffs if Samsonov struggles is more valuable to the Ovi era than anything we'll realistically get back by trading him away.

Yeah, we may have a $6m backup for the rest of the year if he doesn't play his way out of it, but who cares? Can't save cap space for next year, and if we trade him for a 2RD we create a big question mark in net by only having a relatively unproven goalie.

As long as the caps play Samsonov I'll have no complaints (though I'll probably still say mean things about Holtby in the GDT's for the games he starts if he's a sieve. Sorry Holts.)

 

[kicksavedave]

Holtby will 100% not be traded and he will 100% be leaving this off season.

Everyone needs to make their peace with both those facts.

This is fact. And while the TL-DR post (which I read) says that a $6M backup is nuts, its really not. Its a vital insurance policy if Sammy craps out or gets hurt. And in either case, if Holtby is rested like he was in April 2018, he might be able to put together another magical 2 month run. And let's face it, he doesn't need to be a Conn Smythe goalie, he just needs to not be a beer league goalie.

Sammy isn't Grubauer and this isn't 2018, but I can't see any other option but to keep Holtby but hand the reins to Sammy and see what happens. Its clear the team has no confidence or motivation playing in front of Holts anymore.

 

[notDkristich]

I set off a fire storm with my trade holtby for a bag of picks comment in the last GDT. He has some serious fundamental issues right now and I can’t believe the coaching staff isn’t addressing it, and if they are what holtbys block mental block is to change and improve his game. Overall, he is Way too deep in his crease, slow to push out, off angles, ahl reaction speed, etc.

is his conditioning off? Off ice issues? His struggles this season are different than 2018. If I were a betting man, the last playoff OT loss broke him.

thoughts?

 

[peterthegreat12]

I have to think the contract situation has something to do with Holtby’s play. He must see the writing on the wall and he doesn’t strike me as someone who likes change, especially leaving a team where he has had so much success.

 

[Raikkonen]

October-November - he was good. Cant be playoff loss IMO.

 

[kicksavedave]

I think he's just tired, mentally. The concentration a Goalie needs is unbreal, like a pitcher trying to throw a no hitter, just a momentary lapses and its all up in smoke. Holtby still makes lots of big saves, he just lets in way way too many that an ECHL goalie using proper form would stop... lack of concentration is all.

 

[Ridley Simon]

There will be some goalies available.
Why would any team trade for Holtby?

Doubtful you can change him for adequate backup at deadline. Not worth the risk of losing the depth.

Holtby himself is depth because every skater deep inside hopes he can regain his form if Sammy fails. Thats calming.

Trade him and there are questions.

I bet he stays and will be traded to Calgary for 5th before draft.

let’s just say the Flames offer Rittich/Talbot and a 2nd and a good F prospect.

that leaves a vet back up, 3.4m in cap space, and assets.

GMBM then has a ton of cap space to play with, with how deadline space works

I dunno. Maybe they wouldn’t. Or maybe they would.

 

[Ridley Simon]

This is fact. And while the TL-DR post (which I read) says that a $6M backup is nuts, its really not. Its a vital insurance policy if Sammy craps out or gets hurt. And in either case, if Holtby is rested like he was in April 2018, he might be able to put together another magical 2 month run. And let's face it, he doesn't need to be a Conn Smythe goalie, he just needs to not be a beer league goalie.

Sammy isn't Grubauer and this isn't 2018, but I can't see any other option but to keep Holtby but hand the reins to Sammy and see what happens. Its clear the team has no confidence or motivation playing in front of Holts anymore.

It is nuts. But you will also notice I didn’t advocate dumping Holtby now. At all. I would like to see where is he down the line. But if he still has terrible games between now and March 1 (like he’s been the last couple weeks), then he’s certainly not the answer to any post season question and the team needs a better option (even Vanacek or Copley) than a wounded psyche Holtby. Add to it that his 6.1m slot prohibits any other upgrades to the lineup?

then they should certainly “explore ALL options” at the TDL

 

[SpinningEdge]

The reason we can’t trade Holtby is simple. If we trade him it has to s a team that needs a goalie - and we’d want a good defenseman back bc that’s our weak link.

but no one who has goalie issues is going to trade a good d guy bc that hurts the team too. If someone needs goalie help They probably need the d help too

So it just doesn’t make sense. Not gonna happen.

 

[Zorak]

You can trade Holtby for X and then trade X for a defenseman to a different team.

The only reason Holtby won't be traded is the lockerroom atmosphere - trades like that could hurt "all for one" mentality, and GMs are well aware of that. Personally, I think that a top4 D is worth more to this team than any "atmosphere", but in reality Holtby just won't be traded, unfortunately. 0.000% chance of a trade.

 

[Bananas]

I will say that now that I’ve become the resident Braden Holtby vigilante poster, it would be absolutely f***ing epic if SamSOnov wins the job, falters early in the POs, and then Holtby comes back in and we win another Stanley Cup.

Now, I really, really don’t think it’s gonna happen. I think it’s much more likely that SamSOnov takes us there - or neither do. But, wow, can you guys imagine it? Plates of crow would start raining down from the heavens in biblical proportions.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

I will say that now that I’ve become the resident Braden Holtby vigilante poster, it would be absolutely ****ing epic if SamSOnov wins the job, falters early in the POs, and then Holtby comes back in and we win another Stanley Cup.

Now, I really, really don’t think it’s gonna happen. I think it’s much more likely that SamSOnov takes us there - or neither do. But, wow, can you guys imagine it? Plates of crow would start raining down from the heavens in biblical proportions.

I think it’s setting up for that exact same scenario....no pressure Holtby plays well. I’d still wish him well on his next endeavor.

 

[ALLCAPSALLTHETIME]

I hope he can get at least one more shutout to set the team shutout record. Currently tied with Kolzig with 35.

I don’t think he’ll get the win record as he is 26 behind Kolzig.