SharksCyclops
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Please, even the Caps broadcast crew was talking about Holtby and his future potential contract last season during regular season games.
Speculation: Braden Holtby
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StephenPeat
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Proximity
Sure thing bud. And if you believe every Flyer, Islander, and Canes fan on this site and many others Holtby has “fallen off” and will be considered a Cap Dump if he’s ever traded. Face it, no one really knows what Brian McClellan is thinking or doing [Caps Broadcast crew? Seriously? Get back to me when they break some pending personnel moves] (he’s maintained an organizational priority on keeping it tight-lipped) but one thing’s for certain, the Caps consider Holtby the goalie of the moment or they wouldn’t have traded Grubauer. If things change, which there’s no indication of currently, it’ll then be worthwhile to revisit this discussion but as of right now it’s not in any plane of reality.
When exactly do you see that future you allude to? In two seasons? Okay let’s consider it then. We have a long way to go for this to morph into a Fleury-Murray, Vasilevskiy-Bishop situation and it’s entirely plausible we’ll have an Expansion Draft before that happens so what’s the point of discussing this non-issue?
It remains to be seen if Holtby is still in his prime in two years. And Brian Mac gushed over Samsonov during camp. I don’t think they’ll keep Holtby if Samsonov appears ready for the task, and he has two years to get ready.
To flip it on you, when was the last time the Caps committed to keeping an older goaltender long term when they had younger, highly touted options waiting in the wings?
txpd
Registered User
Kolzig. When they moved both Varly and Neuvirth, they were still young players. Varly traded as an RFA. Neuvirth lost his shot at the job to Holtby on the ice.
When you say ready for the task. What task do you mean? Would you trade a Vezina level goalie for a Varly level goalie?
Everything is dependent on both holtbys play and the development of samsonov. 2 more years under contract. Plenty of time before a decision is made on who their goalie will be when holtbys deal runs out.
But I do stand by my origins point in that the timing of holtbys contract and samsonovs experience likely means that if they do move on from holtby they will let him hit ufa and walk given that samsonov wont be ready for the #1 job in 2019 at age 22.
And that make sense since Ovy is still signed for 3 more years. Can’t be risking a year of his remaining contract trying and hoping that a young goalie develops.
I really can’t envision holtby being traded. A new dea for holtby would likely be between 6-7 years so if you sign him you’re not expecting samsonov to be your starter at any point. Expect 3-4 years of a ntc for holtby.
"Fell off." The cup landed in his lap as the starting goaltender though? Finished the playoff with a 2.16 GAA which bests MAF 2.24.... While it doesnt beat the Jonathan Quick Conn Smythe 2011-2012 run. It was still an excellent showing.
Former Vezina winner.. The accolades go on and on... Unless he has some really poor showings where the capitals virtually struggle to make the playoffs over the next couple years he wont be going anywhere.
Next contract will probably be a 5 year deal.
Former Vezina winner.. The accolades go on and on... Unless he has some really poor showings where the capitals virtually struggle to make the playoffs over the next couple years he wont be going anywhere.
Next contract will probably be a 5 year deal.
Two more seasons in the bank is an eternity, during which he'll have had two more playoff runs, the team will have made other moves, players will opt to stay or move on, players will drop off or maintain their present clip, Samsonov will have played a year in the AHL and another year as the NHL backup.
Without knowing how those other facets play out, without that context, it's impossible to say what the future holds. For now, they just traded an excellent backup goaltender as a sign of the faith they have in their Cup-winning starting goaltender, who was excellent in the playoffs.
The league is littered with goaltenders who can put up great regular season numbers and crumble in the postseason. Holtby's proven. When they replace him with Samsonov, it won't be done lightly. You can always sign Holtby for five years and trade him one or two years into his new deal.
Without knowing how those other facets play out, without that context, it's impossible to say what the future holds. For now, they just traded an excellent backup goaltender as a sign of the faith they have in their Cup-winning starting goaltender, who was excellent in the playoffs.
The league is littered with goaltenders who can put up great regular season numbers and crumble in the postseason. Holtby's proven. When they replace him with Samsonov, it won't be done lightly. You can always sign Holtby for five years and trade him one or two years into his new deal.
StephenPeat
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I do have to agree with others that IF Samsonov shows enough in the next two years IT IS possible the Caps simply let Holtby move on but that’s a discussion for another time in a galaxy potentially far, far away. I find it hard to envision any scenario in which Holtby is traded either today or tomorrow but such a situation could also potentially arise in the immense window that is the next two full seasons.
StephenPeat
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Tkachuk Norris
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-Mike Smith
-1st round (top 5 protected) *if in the 20-30 range Washington gets an additional 2nd
-Oliver Kylington
For
Braden Holtby
-1st round (top 5 protected) *if in the 20-30 range Washington gets an additional 2nd
-Oliver Kylington
For
Braden Holtby
StephenPeat
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So we torpedo our Playoff hopes for the next two years downgrading Holtby to Smith for Oliver Kylington and a likely mid-1st and then have no bonafide NHL starter for 19-20? Yeah the Caps pass quite easily and obviously. No Thanks.
Hivemind
We're Touched
Caps should not extend Holtby in 2020. Long term goalie contracts, as Holtby will command, almost never work out. Especially at that age. Learn from the mistakes of other teams.
I'm not sure what you mean. They didn't move Varly and Neuvy to keep Kolzig long term? And you're making my point... they didn't commit to Varly or Neuvy long term because they had other talented options available.
You're making a lot of assumptions here and I know what you're trying to say by asking those questions but I'm not going down that road. You're assuming Holtby will be a Vezina-level goalie in two years and you're assuming Samsonov will max out at a Varly level goalie. What happens if Holtby reverts to last season form (pre-playoffs) this year? What happens is Samsonov matches Holtby's play in two years at a fraction of the cap hit? Two years is a long time, we shall see.
txpd
Registered User
One has nothing to do with the other. Keeping Kolzig was the answer to the long term goalie question. They didn't commit to Varly or Neuvy AT ALL. They dumped them both in the trial period. They are committed to Holtby.
Don't you see the difference?
Yes, I see the difference, but just because they're committed to Holtby now doesn't mean they'll be committed to him in two years. Are you ready to stand here and say they're going to commit term to 70 in two years when his deal is up?
txpd
Registered User
I wouldn't commit to anything 2 years from now. For those that are so sure that Samsanov is the next big thing, I remind you of Varlamov. He is good but Holtby he is not. I base my comments on Holtby on that he remains a Vezina level goaltender that is great in the playoffs. If last regular season is the new normal and the playoff run a short term blip, the answer is easy.
You and others on the other hand are either predicting the collapse of his game or suggesting that the Caps will let a Vezina level goalie with elite playoff chops walk. Which is nuts.
Hivemind
We're Touched
Henrik Lundqvist
Carey Price
Cory Schneider
Ilya Bryzgalov
Corey Crawford
Jimmy Howard
Goalie is a fickle position, and making substantial long-term investments in a goalie almost always ends up backfiring. The Capitals should not make the same mistake that numerous other franchises have.
StephenPeat
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It’s sexy to want change, that doesn’t make it reasonable. The unfortunate reality for posters with your mindset is that the two assumptions Tx makes are probably the most likely. I.E. Holtby will more likely than not return to his typically elite-level (I find it highly doubtful he has and continues to simply drop off). Samsonov becoming better than a Varly-level goalie is also far from assured. Tx’s “assumptions” are the hedge and they’re undoubtedly what the team had in mind when they signed Holtby’s current contract AND when they drafted Samsonov. The Caps are in the Cat-Bird seat with this situation today and have the luxury of two full seasons to evaluate whether Tx’s assumptions are correct. Playing Devil’s advocate I’m going to assume Holtby resumes his Elite Status and Samsonov lights the world on fire in the A and as a backup on the Big Club. Then, and only then, the 19-20 offseason becomes very interesting.
txpd
Registered User
Lundqvist was pretty good til last season. in the 2017 playoffs he was 2.25 .927.
Bryz had a sv% over .920 twice. .920 and .921. Why is he even mentioned?
Corey Crawford has never been considered an elite goaltender.
Jimmy Howard is another goalie that cant carry Holtby's jock. Why are we talking about him?
Schneider has had 2 good seasons where he played 60 plus games with a .920 or better sv%.
Price has been injured and his team sucks.
I guess I don't see your position. If Holtby signs at 30 for 6 years and plays the first 4 of those at his current level of play and is the playoff stud that Lundqvist was from 30-34, I would go that direction and worry about the last two years when the time comes.
Last thing I want to see is Holtby gone at the top of his game and a chance to win a cup because the replacement goaltender is as erratic as Varly was.
Hivemind
We're Touched
Why don't you compose a list of long-term goalie contracts that have gone well in the salary cap era? Hint: the list is remarkably short.
Also, Crawford is pretty severely underrated by many. He's consistently among the better ES sv% and quality start% in the league.
No... others and I are saying we wouldn't be surprised if the Caps choose the less expensive option in two years. Others and I are saying we'd be surprised if the Caps choose to extend Holtby with a long-term deal when he turns 30 years old because historically that hasn't worked out for teams. Others and I are saying who knows if Holtby is a Vezina-level goalie in two years.
easton117
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So he’s got two more years!?!
Writes down date for when Boston might beat Washington again.....
Writes down date for when Boston might beat Washington again.....
txpd
Registered User
fine. Crawford is good. Better than Bryz or Howard or Schneider. Lets start with Crawford. Whats wrong with him? Jonathan Quick. Fleury to an extent. How many Vezina level cup winning goalies are there? How many have been allowed to walk in their prime?
