Braden Holtby is having a career year for the Capitals
By Jesse Jones
Braden Holtby was seeing split time with backup goaltender Justin Peters at the beginning of the season for the Washington Capitals.
Head coach Barry Trotz was evening the workload between the two, but quite frankly, Peters just was not getting the job done. Trotz clearly took notice, and since Nov. 15 when Peters allowed four goals in a loss to St. Louis, Holtby has earned every start since.
By starting last night’s 6-2 win over Toronto, Holtby tied the franchise record for consecutive games played by a goalie at 22 set by Wayne Stephenson during the 1979-80 season.
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If Holtby starts tonight against the Philadelphia Flyers, he’ll have that record all to himself at 23 games and counting.
The decision by Trotz to go to Holtby full-time has worked wonders for the Capitals. The team is 14-4-4 since Holtby’s streak started, and the team has recorded at least one point in 15 of their last 16 games.
Jan 4, 2015; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Capitals goalie Braden Holtby (70) is congratulated by defenseman Karl Alzner (27) after the game against the Florida Panthers during the third period at Verizon Center. The Washington Capitals won 4 – 3. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
His numbers from December were lights out. He posted a save percentage of .929 while earning eight wins. He played in just under 800 minutes during December (788:35 to be exact) and the Capitals earned 19 points during that stretch.
Overall, Holtby is 10th in the NHL in goals allowed with 2.29 per game. His .921 save percentage is ninth in the league and his 19 wins ranks him eighth.
His performance this season will without-a-doubt be a deciding factor in the front office’s decision on whether or not to resign Holtby when his contract ends – he’ll be a restricted free agent after this season.
Holtby is on the record saying that he wants to stay in the nation’s capital for the long haul, and there’s no question that the organization should make that happen.
His numbers speak for themselves, and he’ll likely become the first starting goaltender for the Washington Capitals to start 50 games since the 2008-09 season when Jose Theodore did it.