Player Discussion Braden Holtby Appreciation Thread

[artilector]

How much (if any) salary would the Caps needs to offload if they wanted to go "all in" and get let's say a 4-6M "missing piece"? 'Cause that's the only reason I could (very remotely) see the Caps even consider trading Holtby right now -- to get rid of his contract in order to be able to make a big move for the run. Otherwise... I can't imagine somebody giving up significant value to get a struggling UFA goalie -- not nearly enough for the Caps to be willing to jump through all the hoops that this would entail.

 

[Ridley Simon]

How much (if any) salary would the Caps needs to offload if they wanted to go "all in" and get let's say a 4-6M "missing piece"? 'Cause that's the only reason I could (very remotely) see the Caps even consider trading Holtby right now -- to get rid of his contract in order to be able to make a big move for the run. Otherwise... I can't imagine somebody giving up significant value to get a struggling UFA goalie -- not nearly enough for the Caps to be willing to jump through all the hoops that this would entail.

as an example — Minnesota’s current cap is 78.4m. They have 2.6m in actual space.....which is currently 6.5m in acquiring cap space.

At the TDL, that same 2.6m in actual space will allow them to acquire 12.4m in real salary cap dollars.

so — it doesn’t take much.

 

[Raikkonen]

as an example — Minnesota’s current cap is 78.4m. They have 2.6m in actual space.....which is currently 6.5m in acquiring cap space.

At the TDL, that same 2.6m in actual space will allow them to acquire 12.4m in real salary cap dollars.

so — it doesn’t take much.

If we are unloading at deadline we can get back the same salary. Caps didnt have any space to bank for most of the season so Weber is still hard to do.

If we have 2M available during next season - then yes, we can trade for Nisky and friends

 

[Ridley Simon]

If we are unloading at deadline we can get back the same salary. Caps didnt have any space to bank for most of the season so Weber is still hard to do.

If we have 2M available during next season - then yes, we can trade for Nisky and friends

It’s quirky. They get space on a daily basis. So it would mean the sooner they dump salary to start accruing it, the better. It compounds.

 

[Employee427]

How much (if any) salary would the Caps needs to offload if they wanted to go "all in" and get let's say a 4-6M "missing piece"? 'Cause that's the only reason I could (very remotely) see the Caps even consider trading Holtby right now -- to get rid of his contract in order to be able to make a big move for the run. Otherwise... I can't imagine somebody giving up significant value to get a struggling UFA goalie -- not nearly enough for the Caps to be willing to jump through all the hoops that this would entail.

Holtby just received player of the game last game. Like it or not, he is a huge part of locker room chemistry. I think whatever we could get for him at TDL or get someone with new cap space is not worth it at risk of messing up locker room culture (whoever here plays Football manager games gets what I mean .)

From now on I would just start him and Samsonov 50/50 and depending on how Holtby plays for the remainder of reg. season would decide whether play him as starter in POs or not. After that get a draft pick for his rights at draft then say goodbye and play touching "thank you" video for him when he visits Capital One and thats it.

 

[artilector]

as an example — Minnesota’s current cap is 78.4m. They have 2.6m in actual space.....which is currently 6.5m in acquiring cap space.

At the TDL, that same 2.6m in actual space will allow them to acquire 12.4m in real salary cap dollars.

so — it doesn’t take much.

Capfriendly shows the Caps having 3M in "deadline cap space". If that's accurate, then I guess there's at least an outside chance of the Caps contemplating moving a significant salary to make space for a big piece. Highly unlikely IMO, but at least kosher to talk about.

 

[artilector]

Holtby just received player of the game last game. Like it or not, he is a huge part of locker room chemistry. I think whatever we could get for him at TDL or get someone with new cap space is not worth it at risk of messing up locker room culture (whoever here plays Football manager games gets what I mean .)

From now on I would just start him and Samsonov 50/50 and depending on how Holtby plays for the remainder of reg. season would decide whether play him as starter in POs or not. After that get a draft pick for his rights at draft then say goodbye and play touching "thank you" video for him when he visits Capital One and thats it.

I'm not arguing for moving Holtby, mainly because I think the return would be relatively paltry.

However, I do think the chemistry argument, while important in general, is exaggerated in this case. If the Caps already see Holtby as gone in the summer, the value of his locker room presence is greatly diminished.

And the players are not idiots, they can read the tea leaves. They're winning with Samsonov, he looks like the future, Holtby is struggling, Hotlby's likely gone -- I don't think they'd be shocked by Holtby getting moved particularly if that results in a signficant piece coming back.

I think they'd feel bad for Holtby personally, but it wouldn't really affect anything going forward.

 

[EdAVSfan]

I knew Samsonov was playing well, but has he really taken over as the starter?

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

I knew Samsonov was playing well, but has he really taken over as the starter?

Nope....just Cap jockeys spending imaginary space.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

I'm not arguing for moving Holtby, mainly because I think the return would be relatively paltry.

However, I do think the chemistry argument, while important in general, is exaggerated in this case. If the Caps already see Holtby as gone in the summer, the value of his locker room presence is greatly diminished.

And the players are not idiots, they can read the tea leaves. They're winning with Samsonov, he looks like the future, Holtby is struggling, Hotlby's likely gone -- I don't think they'd be shocked by Holtby getting moved particularly if that results in a signficant piece coming back.

I think they'd feel bad for Holtby personally, but it wouldn't really affect anything going forward.

agree to disagree....the value of a vet Cup winner cannot be dismissed. That is unless you think Holtby doesn’t play this postseason. I suspect he will have a major role again myself.

 

[CreeksideStrangler]

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.

traded before the draft? isnt he ufa after the season?

 

[CreeksideStrangler]

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.

you are right about that it doesnt make sense. a team who needs a goalie probably needs a dman too... lolwut?

 

[CreeksideStrangler]

I'm not arguing for moving Holtby, mainly because I think the return would be relatively paltry.

However, I do think the chemistry argument, while important in general, is exaggerated in this case. If the Caps already see Holtby as gone in the summer, the value of his locker room presence is greatly diminished.

And the players are not idiots, they can read the tea leaves. They're winning with Samsonov, he looks like the future, Holtby is struggling, Hotlby's likely gone -- I don't think they'd be shocked by Holtby getting moved particularly if that results in a signficant piece coming back.

I think they'd feel bad for Holtby personally, but it wouldn't really affect anything going forward.

no significant piece coming back. have you seen the trade value on goalies these days??? multi year declining goaltenders on top of that... and at 6mill for only a few dozen more games... they let him walk im sure

 

[CreeksideStrangler]

Holtby just received player of the game last game. Like it or not, he is a huge part of locker room chemistry. I think whatever we could get for him at TDL or get someone with new cap space is not worth it at risk of messing up locker room culture (whoever here plays Football manager games gets what I mean .)

From now on I would just start him and Samsonov 50/50 and depending on how Holtby plays for the remainder of reg. season would decide whether play him as starter in POs or not. After that get a draft pick for his rights at draft then say goodbye and play touching "thank you" video for him when he visits Capital One and thats it.

last game??? when he got pulled after letting in 4 goals on 22 shots???

or do you mean the last game he played a week prior letting in 4 goals on 21 shots against the worst team in the league? well almost the worst...


seriously though. what game did he get player of tge game??

 

[CreeksideStrangler]

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.

me too. sees a better goalie nipping at his heels and he is clenching his stick in the real fear of losing his job

 

[artilector]

no significant piece coming back. have you seen the trade value on goalies these days??? multi year declining goaltenders on top of that... and at 6mill for only a few dozen more games... they let him walk im sure

Literally nobody's saying Holtby has huge trade value.

My point was simply that 1) the only reason to move Holtby would be to make cap room for a significant piece (likely from a separate trade) -- and that in this case -- 2) I don't think team chemistry would take a meaningful hit because the players would understand the motivation -- "Holtby is likely gone next year anyway and management is trying to make us better for the run".

 

[AussieCapsFan]

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.

Yep, I think you've hit the nail on the head.

I feel bad for the guy. We are basically watching the end of his career - unless he can somehow find his way back.

 

[Ridley Simon]

traded before the draft? isnt he ufa after the season?

Not until July 1. “UFA to be’s” get traded all the time.

 

[Ridley Simon]

you are right about that it doesnt make sense. a team who needs a goalie probably needs a dman too... lolwut?

it can make sense. Some teams (like San Jose) desperately need a G.

other teams (I mentioned Calgary) may want Holtby specifically.

cap could want one of 4 things: pure cap space (so, futures); vet G and cap space; vet D; top 9w

so the fact that they would need just a D man is a fallacy, IMO.

 

[Employee427]

last game??? when he got pulled after letting in 4 goals on 22 shots???

or do you mean the last game he played a week prior letting in 4 goals on 21 shots against the worst team in the league? well almost the worst...


seriously though. what game did he get player of tge game??

I might have misarticulated what I meant. Holtby received an award that is given by other Caps players in the locker room last game despite giving up that many goals. There is a RMNB post about it. I think it signals that other Caps core players think very highly of him no matter his current form and trading him would be a mistake that might change team atmosphere.

 

[Hivemind]

I knew Samsonov was playing well, but has he really taken over as the starter?

Holtby is still the "starting goalie," but Samsonov has started three of the past five games and appeared in a fourth in relief. The only game Holtby has started and finished among the last five was a back-to-back night against Philadelphia. Granted, Holtby was given the harder divisional match-up in that B2B (Sammy got Ottawa).

Going forwards, the week+ break for the ASG and bye week will give the team a chance to reset, so it's hard to say exactly what will happen on the other side of the ASG.

 

[kicksavedave]

I think we can all see the writing on the wall, and I'm sure it's not lost on the coaches what's going on. The only real question is, how long does TR give Holtby to play his way out of this funk? We saw when Barry went to Grubs, what happened there. How will TR make this seemingly obvious decision, inquiring minds want to know so we can write 700 posts about it.

 

[txpd]

However, I do think the chemistry argument, while important in general, is exaggerated in this case. If the Caps already see Holtby as gone in the summer, the value of his locker room presence is greatly diminished.

And the players are not idiots, they can read the tea leaves. .

Even if they know their heart is going to be cut out, it still hurts when they cut it out. Its a risk no matter how you slice it. Those around the Caps will tell you they are unusually close as a group. I wouldn't do something like that unless there was a desperate need.

 

[Raikkonen]

Its a gamble even for coaches. They dont know if he can rest and then be good in playoffs. So they can only hope.

Trading for some other G isnt better at all. Same shit + locker distraction.

Hence the expectations here.

 

[CreeksideStrangler]

Not until July 1. “UFA to be’s” get traded all the time.

not at 6million for a goalie with no confidence