Player Discussion Braden Holtby Appreciation Thread

AlexBrovechkin8

At least there was 2018.
Sponsor
Feb 18, 2012
26,743
24,940
District of Champions
When was the last time a player cost themselves this much money in a contact season? Holtby seemed like a lock to match Vasi or Bob’s contracts and it seems with every passing game he’s costing himself tens of millions of dollars.
 

kicksavedave

I'm just here for the memes and gifs.
Sponsor
Apr 29, 2009
10,599
13,239
Fallbrook, CA
www.tiasarms.org
When was the last time a player cost themselves this much money in a contact season? Holtby seemed like a lock to match Vasi or Bob’s contracts and it seems with every passing game he’s costing himself tens of millions of dollars.

Which is why the Caps are going to give him every possible chance to play his way out of this, instead of just benching him for good. Its not like TR and GMBM don't see whats happening here, but their course of action is limited to play him, bench him, or cut him and two of those options are simply not happening while the team is in first place still. Remember, when Trotz benched Holts for Grubby, the team was in danger of sliding out of the playoffs. Right now they are not.

Yes, I get it, if we keep riding him, we may not end up in first place, I get that, TR gets that, BMac gets that. But the team and Holtby have a relationship and they will, without any doubt, treat him with respect until they can't anymore. THey will keep playing him until he either works his way out of this, or proves that this is who he is now. In the meantime, they are NOT going to wear out their rookie.

So Caps fans, be prepared for more of this, and one start per week for Sammy. Thats what TR said they would do.
 

tenken00

Oh it's going down in Chinatown
Jan 29, 2010
9,863
10,089
Which is why the Caps are going to give him every possible chance to play his way out of this, instead of just benching him for good. Its not like TR and GMBM don't see whats happening here, but their course of action is limited to play him, bench him, or cut him and two of those options are simply not happening while the team is in first place still. Remember, when Trotz benched Holts for Grubby, the team was in danger of sliding out of the playoffs. Right now they are not.

Yes, I get it, if we keep riding him, we may not end up in first place, I get that, TR gets that, BMac gets that. But the team and Holtby have a relationship and they will, without any doubt, treat him with respect until they can't anymore. THey will keep playing him until he either works his way out of this, or proves that this is who he is now. In the meantime, they are NOT going to wear out their rookie.

So Caps fans, be prepared for more of this, and one start per week for Sammy. Thats what TR said they would do.

I really don't know what Holtby needs. He used to be able to do his focus tricks to get him back on track. I'm not sure if his poor positioning and staying back more in the crease is due to overcompensation because of diminishing reflexes/coordination?

Someone (a visitor to HFCaps I think) pointed out in yesterday's GDT that Holtby used to have really good rebound control before when he was on. It's been getting worse the past few years and this year it seems to be really bad. Like to the point where he doesn't even worry about rebounds anymore, he's just doing everything he can just to keep the puck from going in. I'm far from a goalie expert though, so I really have no clue what to do.

And that's what we've come down to now, what to do. I agree that Holtby needs to keep playing and work his way out of this. At least a 50/50 split with Samsanov going down the last stretch of the season. But I think you need to sit him for a few games. Maybe a week or two off unless there is a back to back.

I haven't looked at the schedule yet, but while he's in this funk, playing him right now might be counter-productive. Holtby has had really bad puck-handling gaffes before, but that fourth goal yesterday by Ryan Johansen on a shortie was all mental. He's clearly frustrated and that play just shows how out of his head Holtby is right now. He needs some time to clear it.
 

txpd

Registered User
Jan 25, 2003
69,649
14,131
New Bern, NC
When was the last time a player cost themselves this much money in a contact season? Holtby seemed like a lock to match Vasi or Bob’s contracts and it seems with every passing game he’s costing himself tens of millions of dollars.

IIRC Tomas Vokoun destroyed his contract value. Hell Kevin Shattenkirk just in his time with the Capitals killed his UFA value
 

CapitalsCupReality

It’s Go Time!!
Feb 27, 2002
64,376
19,069
I really don't know what Holtby needs. He used to be able to do his focus tricks to get him back on track. I'm not sure if his poor positioning and staying back more in the crease is due to overcompensation because of diminishing reflexes/coordination?

Someone (a visitor to HFCaps I think) pointed out in yesterday's GDT that Holtby used to have really good rebound control before when he was on. It's been getting worse the past few years and this year it seems to be really bad. Like to the point where he doesn't even worry about rebounds anymore, he's just doing everything he can just to keep the puck from going in. I'm far from a goalie expert though, so I really have no clue what to do.

And that's what we've come down to now, what to do. I agree that Holtby needs to keep playing and work his way out of this. At least a 50/50 split with Samsanov going down the last stretch of the season. But I think you need to sit him for a few games. Maybe a week or two off unless there is a back to back.

I haven't looked at the schedule yet, but while he's in this funk, playing him right now might be counter-productive. Holtby has had really bad puck-handling gaffes before, but that fourth goal yesterday by Ryan Johansen on a shortie was all mental. He's clearly frustrated and that play just shows how out of his head Holtby is right now. He needs some time to clear it.

not playing 70 isn’t contributing to getting him back on track unfortunately....

The Hipster struggles, but he needs to work his way out of it.
 

Melkor

Registered User
Jul 22, 2012
5,251
2,450
Auckland, New Zealand
This might look like a hot take but I think Holtby is done as a solid #1 goalie. Not just in Washington but in general. He will probably get that role for lesser money on the market but won't last too long as a starter. Just something about his body language last couple of seasons is so wrong. It's so obvious yet it's hard to convert it into words. Just the vibe from him is wrong.
 

CapitalsCupReality

It’s Go Time!!
Feb 27, 2002
64,376
19,069
I don’t think his impending address change should be overlooked. This is a guy who is probably upset he’s being played out of town by the salary cap (largely).....

seems like a guy who doesn’t want to go and his play is suffering for the mental anguish.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ALLCAPSALLTHETIME

kicksavedave

I'm just here for the memes and gifs.
Sponsor
Apr 29, 2009
10,599
13,239
Fallbrook, CA
www.tiasarms.org
This might look like a hot take but I think Holtby is done as a solid #1 goalie. Not just in Washington but in general. He will probably get that role for lesser money on the market but won't last too long as a starter. Just something about his body language last couple of seasons is so wrong. It's so obvious yet it's hard to convert it into words. Just the vibe from him is wrong.

Its not so hot of a take, its a valid opinion. Its not like this is a sudden month of play, he's been on this decline for three years and his Cup run is over rated because of "The Save" but overall he wasn't realyl tested very much. HE did play solidly during the Cup run, but he wasn't the driver of that bus.

Point here is more that, after his career with the Caps, he deserves to be given the benefit of the doubt and the chance to play his way back, so long as it doesn't seriously hurt the season. When making the decision to effectively end an important player's career, management is right to err on the side of the player until it hurts the team. Right now, its not seriously hurting, but I have a hard time thinking the Caps will let him cost us playoff games with this play.
 

tenken00

Oh it's going down in Chinatown
Jan 29, 2010
9,863
10,089
He just had a week off, unless you count the high pressure 20 minutes of swiss cheesery during the ASG to have ruined his bye week.

Haha.. swiss cheesery. True, he did have a week off for cheesery. Maybe playing in the All-Star game was the worst thing for him. Probably should have instead taken the whole time off somewhere and just not think about hockey.
 

twabby

Registered User
Mar 9, 2010
13,623
14,439
I don’t think his impending address change should be overlooked. This is a guy who is probably upset he’s being played out of town by the salary cap (largely).....

seems like a guy who doesn’t want to go and his play is suffering for the mental anguish.

Maybe that explains some of this season but it doesn't explain the 3-year trend of declining play.

I'd be sympathetic to letting Holtby work his way out of this funk if his recent history suggested he was still a strong #1 goalie but it really doesn't suggest that. As is I think you have to go with a 50/50 split with an eye on making Samsonov the starter in the postseason unless he completely falls apart down the stretch.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Heath

CapitalsCupReality

It’s Go Time!!
Feb 27, 2002
64,376
19,069
Maybe that explains some of this season but it doesn't explain the 3-year trend of declining play.

I'd be sympathetic to letting Holtby work his way out of this funk if his recent history suggested he was still a strong #1 goalie but it really doesn't suggest that.

well, all we need him for is 16 wins in a few months....;)

he’s clearly in decline, but there doesn’t seem to be a reason for it other than mental at his age.

Also, some of us here have had Holtby gone since last year....no reason to think it hasn’t been on his mind for a long time.
 

kicksavedave

I'm just here for the memes and gifs.
Sponsor
Apr 29, 2009
10,599
13,239
Fallbrook, CA
www.tiasarms.org
Haha.. swiss cheesery. True, he did have a week off for cheesery. Maybe playing in the All-Star game was the worst thing for him. Probably should have instead taken the whole time off somewhere and just not think about hockey.

Probably should have gone and camped outside of Mitch Korn's house like this:

say-anything.jpg
 

kicksavedave

I'm just here for the memes and gifs.
Sponsor
Apr 29, 2009
10,599
13,239
Fallbrook, CA
www.tiasarms.org
Imagine if Samsonov gets in a funk too. A whole season of debating over who they need more the D or the F and eventually it'd appear to be a G. Lol.

Heh, its not always the hottest goalie that wins the SC, but its never ever been won by a goalie "in a funk".

All we can do is hope one or both of them combined gives us two solid months.
 

AtNightWeFly

You better run.
Jun 1, 2014
5,860
2,474
Upstate NY
Todd seems like a really nice person so I get what he's doing, but its actually making things worse for Holtby. He keeps putting him out there to get outta his funk but the funk is so strong that it seems it'll never leave. Now the funk grows, and nobody sees anything in front of them. The funk is now a smog.
 

Roshi

Registered User
Feb 7, 2013
1,986
1,949
Finland
Its not so hot of a take, its a valid opinion. Its not like this is a sudden month of play, he's been on this decline for three years and his Cup run is over rated because of "The Save" but overall he wasn't realyl tested very much. HE did play solidly during the Cup run, but he wasn't the driver of that bus.

Point here is more that, after his career with the Caps, he deserves to be given the benefit of the doubt and the chance to play his way back, so long as it doesn't seriously hurt the season. When making the decision to effectively end an important player's career, management is right to err on the side of the player until it hurts the team. Right now, its not seriously hurting, but I have a hard time thinking the Caps will let him cost us playoff games with this play.

While Holtby does look like he is done for now, goalie position really is voodoo and it might take just one short moment when something clicks on the head to return to Vezina-level.

I play goalie myself and there really isnt "decline" in being a goalie between 20-40 years. Its all mental games, and maturity. Id say 30-35 goalies are at their peak and Ive seen many goalies play very solid well after their fourties, so calling a 30 year old guy lost cause is long shot.

Of course there will always be your share of Jim Careys. But for all what Holtby has done for us, I really hope and believe he can revive himself, if not here then somewhere else.

And his cup run is not over rated. His cup season in overall wasnt strong, but he got hot at the right time. Playoffs are massive pressure for goalie and he was solid From the minute he got there against Blue Jackets, throughout the good old backbreaking series against Pens, and shutting Tampa completely in G6 and G7. And of course, the save, that ignited us through Vegas and nothing was going to stop us after that.

But yes, Sammy should take over nr1 for now when it matters, and propably for future. Until Holts gets his head right we are losing games between the pipes. But as long as we are secured in standings im all in for letting the coaching staff work with Holtby and try to figure out how they can snap him out of it. It might be critical for our playoffs run to get Holtby going again, since Sammy is not tested for it.
 

Silky mitts

It’s yours boys and girls and babes let’s go!
Mar 9, 2004
4,660
3,658
When was the last time a player cost themselves this much money in a contact season? Holtby seemed like a lock to match Vasi or Bob’s contracts and it seems with every passing game he’s costing himself tens of millions of dollars.
2 guys that had career worst walk years and still got paid are Semin and Jack Johnson.
 

RandyHolt

Keep truckin'
Nov 3, 2006
34,639
6,800
Heh, its not always the hottest goalie that wins the SC, but its never ever been won by a goalie "in a funk".

All we can do is hope one or both of them combined gives us two solid months.

The only time we won the cup, our starting G was benched to start the playoffs.

I like Holtby with more rest, competition, and less pressure.

Tender play is huge, as is the pressure on the starter.
 

bukwas

Stanley Cup 2022
Sep 27, 2017
5,644
2,784
Anyone care to take a guess of what the odds are of the Caps re-signing him.
 

kicksavedave

I'm just here for the memes and gifs.
Sponsor
Apr 29, 2009
10,599
13,239
Fallbrook, CA
www.tiasarms.org
Anyone care to take a guess of what the odds are of the Caps re-signing him.

Slim to none, with the Cap potentially going down because of the lost revenue, it makes it too difficult to fit him under the cap if he expects any sort of raise.

I'd say its just as likely he's played his last game as a Cap, unceremoniously.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bukwas

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad

-->