Braden Holtby is mentoring Washington Capitals’ goaltending prospects playing for the ECHL’s South Carolina Stingrays this season.
The Capitals goaltending great is continuing the role he first took up during Development Camp this past summer when he served as a guest goaltending coach. Holtby also rejoined the team during Rookie Camp in the fall for four days of skates at McMullen Hockey Arena in Annapolis, Maryland.
While Holtby’s official role with the organization remains unclear, the 2018 Stanley Cup champion spoke about his duties with South Carolina’s Owen Gund on Thursday.
“Yeah, it’s been great,” Holtby said. “It’s obviously a lot of fun getting back here, but also just working with the young talent because there’s three very good goalies here that are exciting for the whole organization. It’s good just trying to help out in any way I can and learn how I can try and benefit them in any way.”
The Stingrays are currently carrying three goaltenders: Mitchell Gibson, Garin Bjorklund, and Seth Eisele. Gibson (’18) and Bjorklund (’20) are Capitals draft picks and signed to entry-level contracts, while Eisele signed an AHL contract with the Hershey Bears for this season last month.
Although still not officially retired, Holtby wrapped up his likely final playing days with the Dallas Stars during the 2021-22 NHL campaign. He admits that this new opportunity caught him by surprise after he moved his family back to the DC area.
“Obviously, spent a lot of time playing here, and then once we moved away, you kind of reflect and realize how special of a place it is,” Holtby said. “Once we decided to move back, I never really thought I’d get back into hockey so much, but this opportunity kind of came about where I feel it’s important to step in and help the young guys out.
“Just to have someone that’s went through it before help out in just different areas not only on the ice but off the ice. Just adjusting and passing what I’d learned through my experience on to them to make it a little easier or a little bit better that way.”
Holtby had a short, but successful stint with the Stingrays, posting a 7-2-3 record, 2.95 goals against average, and a .911 save percentage in 12 games during the 2009-10 season. He eventually was called up to the AHL and won a Calder Cup with the Bears.
“I think it’s something that this organization takes pride in is developing goaltenders the right way,” Holtby said. “I think we all believe that starts in the [ECHL] and working your way up. So, it’s an important step. It’s learning to be a professional in an environment that is competitive but also still allows you to make different mistakes and grow as a teammate, as a goaltender, and as a human that way. I think it’s an area where not every organization takes advantage of it, and I think we do, and it’s very important.”
Holtby eventually played 513 games in the NHL, 468 of which were in a Capitals jersey. While his stint with the Stingrays was short, he credits it with jumpstarting his Vezina Trophy-winning and Stanley Cup-winning career.
“Yeah, it was a big adjustment coming from junior hockey to professional hockey,” Holtby said. “I think it wouldn’t have been as easy if I wouldn’t have came here to start with the transition and, like I said, get some of those growing pains out.
“I was supposed to be here a little longer than I actually was. There were injuries up top that kind of forced me to go to Hershey for the rest of the year. But the 3-4 months that I spent here were really important in just seeing how different the game is professionally and the different challenges that it brings, and it was very valuable.”
During his time with the Stingrays, Holtby had now Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery as a teammate for Carbery’s final season as a pro player. Carbery played in 55 games for South Carolina that season, recording 29 points (10g, 19a) and a team-leading 132 penalty minutes.
“Yeah, obviously, I remember Carbs because he was one of the leaders here,” Holtby said. “He was so valuable to the young kids coming in. Teaching them, being hard on us, but also taking everyone under his wing. He played a real important role in that way.”
This year’s Stingrays are one of the best teams in the ECHL, and a lot of that stems from the excellent goaltending they’ve gotten from all three rostered netminders. Eisele is 5-1-1 with a 1.57 goals-against average and a .945 save percentage, Bjorklund is 4-2-0 with a 1.83 goals-against average and a .941 save percentage, and Gibson is 4-1-0 with a 2.21 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage.
Overall, South Carolina is 13-4-1 and just two points behind the Florida Everblades for first in the Eastern Conference and first in the league. They may need to pay Braden double whatever he’s currently making.
