Holtby is the least attractive long term asset of that bunch. $4 million is $4 million. For a soon to be UFA and there’s likely at least 3 better options at goal across the league that are cheaper and younger. It’s definitely not an attractive group there but they probably take a long shot prospect rather than an older almost UFA $4 million goalie. At least that’s what’s id do.
They could certainly do differently but I’m not sure that’s wise. If Holtby lights it up and raises his stats drastically maybe it’s possible but seems like a waste given other goalies you could choose from. I have not done all that research though so if he’s really a top-3 option league-wide I’ll respectfully concede.
The only options that have contracts or are RFA's that are worth looking at are:
Col - Francouz
Dal - Khudobin
LA - Quick
Min - Talbot, Stalock
Mtl - Allen
Nsh - Ingram
Ott - Gustavsson
Pit - DeSmith
Stl - Husso
Van - Holtby
Was - Vanecek
Wpg -Berdin
4 of those guys in Gustavsson, Ingram, Husso, and Berdin are not NHL ready and who knows if they even pan out. The only guys on that list I take over Holtby are Khudobin, Allen, and Talbot. 2 of these guys have shown they are better as 1B as they cannot be 1A goalies. I'd add Vanecek if he can keep up his current play.
Now of those 12 teams listed, why would they select the goalie when they can select from:
Col - Graves, Jost, + 1 of Girard or Toews. If they go 4 d 4 f to protect both Toews and Girard, then theres: Graves, Compher, Kadri, Donskoi, Jost.
Dal - They'd take Khudobin (doubt they take Honka whos the only one worth mentioning)
LA - Maata (doubt they take Quick here)
Min - Dumba. If they go 4 d and protect Dumba, then theres: Foligno or Greenway
Mtl - 2 of Fleury or Weber or Mete (Allen could be an option here)
Nsh - Sissons, Kunin, Jarnkrok (I expect them to protect 4 d)
Ott - 3 of Connor Brown, Logan Brown, Tierny, Paul, Chlapik, Abramov
Pit - Tanev, Aston-Reese, Lafferty, Riikola (DeSmith is an option here)
Stl - 3 of Blais, Sundqvist, Barbashev, Perron, Sanford and 2 of Faulk, Scandella, Dunn
Van - They'd take Holtby (doubt they take MacEwen, Chatfield, Lind, Rafferty)
Was - 3 of Dillon, Kempny, Schultz, Jensen (depending on Vanecek's season, may be an option as so far no other young goalie has been, Holtby is going to be 32, Khudobin 35)
Wpg - 3 of Demelo, Beaulieu, Stanley, Niku
So pretty much every other team with a goalie worth considering has better players available at other positions asides us and Dallas. Comparing the player they'd get from us compared to Mtl and La, why select Allen or Quick to play backup while downgrading on a dman that would be one of their better options from any of the 30 teams?