Oh, hell yes. Today we get to review the season of that Brodeur-tyin’, Lindsay-finalizin’, Vezina-prolly-winnin’, all-star-playin’, world-cup-team-makin’, playoff-save-percentage-dominatin’, franchise-record-holdin’ bad ass Braden Holtby.
66 | games played |
.922 | save percentage, all situations |
2.20 | goals against average |
.931 | save percentage during 5v5 |
.982 | low-danger save percentage during 5v5 |
.923 | medium-danger save percentage during 5v5 |
.849 | high-danger save percentage during 5v5 |
Wow, Braden Holtby. This season he tied Martin Brodeur’s record for most wins in a single season. He was a Ted Lindsay finalist. He’ll probably win the Vezina for the league’s best goalie.
And yet, there is still room for improvement.
Not in November or December: Holtby was virtually unbeatable then. But that pace didn’t last. By February and March, Holtby kept racking up wins despite curiously mortal performances.
But once the postseason arrived, Holtby was at his zenith again, saving 342 of 363 for an inhuman .942 all-situation save percentage, continuing a four-year streak of sublime playoff work. As far as the numbers can tell us, there is no better playoff goalie since we’ve been keeping track.
And yet Holtby’s playoff win-loss record is a sub-.500 22-24.
If we are to dismiss that stat as a reflection of Holtby’s performance, and we freaking should, then we should also dismiss Holtby’s ridiculous 48-9-7 record in the regular season. Win percentage is a team statistic that we filter by player; it doesn’t tell us anything particularly insightful about the player except how many times he got hugged after the final buzzer.
And yet, Holtby will probably win the the trophy for being the league’s best goalie this season. Was he?
No. He was not. (If you can’t find him, he’s dead center.)
It’s not like Holtby is egregiously undeserving, and his season wasn’t bad by a damn sight, but I want to make sure we calibrate this correctly, and I only do so in service of one important reason:
Because he could be even better next year.
Bring it on. 2016-17 will be the year Braden Holtby scores a goal. Take it to #thebank.
Will Holtby ever reach the top of his game? Who, if anyone, is more zen af than Braden Holtby?
And, for real, how many games should Holtby play next season? If the answer is over 62, please try again.
Read more: Japers Rink
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