After each season, the NHL awards the league’s most outstanding goaltender the Vezina Trophy. Over the years, the award has been given to some of the game’s greatest goaltenders: Martin Brodeur, Dominik Hasek, Patrick Roy, Ed Belfour, and many others. With his strong play in net this year for the Washington Capitals, Braden Holtby deserves to be awarded the Vezina Trophy for this season.
Holtby has been a consistent goalie all season. He leads the NHL with 41 wins, and his goals against average is 2.21 (8th in the league), and his save percentage is .923 (t-7th in the league). Although his play has cooled a bit as of late – he is 6-4 in his last ten games – he has been the all around best goalie this season. Holtby had a jaw dropping 31 game stretch from November 12, 2015 to February 11, 2016 where he went 27-1-3, earning a point in 22 straight starts. Holtby is confident in net and the team in front of him has played very well this season. Holtby is seeing pucks well, and has been spectacular in net at times. One main ingredient for a strong playoff run is a hot goalie, and Holtby has the ability to be that guy in net for the Capitals.
However, it wasn’t always clear if Braden Holtby would be the number one goalie for the Washington Capitals. When Holtby was a rookie in 2010-2011, the Capitals also had goalie Michal Neuvirth on the roster. In 2010-2011, Holtby played in only 14 games. In 2011-2012, Holtby only played in seven games. But in 2012-2013, Holtby started to make his case for the starting job. Here are his and Neuvirth’s stats:
2012-2013:
Holtby: 36 games, 23-12-1, 2.58 GAA, .920 save %, 4 shutouts
Neuvirth: 13 games, 4-5-2, 2.74 GGA, .910 save %, 0 shutouts
2013-2014:
Holtby: 48 games, 23-15-4, 2.85 GAA, .915 save %, 0 shutouts
Neuvirth: 13 games, 4-6-2, 2.82 GAA, .914 save %, 0 shutouts
Clearly, Holtby took over the starting job from Neuvirth. Take notice of the win totals: Holtby is a winner. After 2013-2014, Neuvirth was traded to the Buffalo Sabres. Neuvirth currently tends net for the Philadelphia Flyers. Because of Holtby’s strong play in those two seasons, he earned the mantle of being the Washington Capitals’ number one goalie.
And how did Holtby respond to the vote of confidence? Last season he played in 73 games, won 41 of them, and posted a 2.22 GAA and a .923 save percentage with nine shutouts. Holtby has established himself as a franchise goaltender, one that a team can rely on to win games – in some instances, steal games – for the team and be counted on for a deep playoff run.
What other goaltenders could be considered for the Vezina Trophy? Corey Crawford of the Chicago Blackhawks (35-16-3, 2.22 GAA, .929 save %), Roberto Luongo of the Florida Panthers (27-16-6, 2.33 GAA, .922 save %), and Jonathan Quick of the Los Angeles Kings (33-17-3, 2.17 GAA, .919 save %) have all had strong seasons, and all, like Holtby, are franchise goalies. All could lead their respective teams into a deep playoff run.
Braden Holtby has taken his game to the next level this season. He has established himself as not only the best goalie in Washington, but also perhaps the best goalie in the NHL. Holtby has solidified a Capitals club that was one defensively challenged. Based on his overall play this season, and the numbers he has posted, Braden Holtby of the Washington Capitals should win the Vezina Trophy for this season.
Sources: Yahoo Sports, ESPN.com, hockey-reference.com, and capitals.nhl.com