Braden Holtby

Report: Braden Holtby drawing interest from Seattle Kraken, up to eight teams ahead of Expansion Draft protection lists being due

Former Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby had his worst statistical season as a pro with the Vancouver Canucks during the 2020-21 season. Serving as Thatcher Demko’s backup, Holtby posted a 7-11-3 record with a 3.67 goals against average and a .889 save percentage.

But hours before NHL teams must submit their protection lists for the Seattle Kraken Expansion Draft (5 PM), the Holtbeast is reportedly a coveted player as some league GMs see value in the 2018 Stanley Cup champion as both a player and a leader in the locker room. Holtby’s season stats also seem skewed when considering how dysfunctional and bad defensively Vancouver was.

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By Ian Oland 1 week ago

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Braden Holtby attended today’s Washington Nationals game

9:05 PM update: A source has confirmed to RMNB that Braden Holtby is back in town and this was him at today’s Nationals game. RMNB reader Bernie adds that he saw Holtby and said hello outside Nats Park at Dacha between the first and second game of the doubleheader. Holtby was with his wife Brandi and friends.

Original story: The Washington Nationals took on the San Francisco Giants on Saturday and it appears they had a very special guest in the crowd. Former Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby, or his lookalike, attended the game.

The beardy gentleman, who had tattoos on his left arm, was spotted by RMNB reader Zach Wolpoff on the concourse walking to his seats. He wore a Juan Soto jersey, skinny khakis, and sandals.

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By Ian Oland 1 month ago

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Braden Holtby turns himself into a human windmill to make the second greatest save of his career

Braden Holtby is behind one of the greatest saves in NHL history. Nicknamed The Save, Holtby reached his stick out and turned away an Alex Tuch one-timer in Game Two of the 2018 Stanley Cup. The Save preserved the Capitals’ late lead and propelled them to four straight wins, clinching the franchise’s first ever Stanley Cup. There was nothing Holtby had done in the past nor would do in the future that would ever elipse the importance and brilliance of that stop.

With that context established, Holtby did his absolute best to outdo himself in a game against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday. Holtby, who signed a two-year deal with Vancouver Canucks over the offseason, went absolutely mad scientist and turned himself into a human windmill to make a pad save on Wayne Simmonds FROM UPSIDE DOWN ON HIS BACK.

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By Ian Oland 3 months ago

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Current and former Capitals teammates say really nice things about Nicklas Backstrom

The Washington Capitals went all out to celebrate Nicklas Backstrom’s 1,000th NHL game on Thursday.

The team formed a stick tunnel for Backstrom to skate out to, players wore number 19 jerseys during warmups, and the organization held a pregame ceremony which included a touching tribute video.

The Capitals also debuted a splash page on their website dedicated to all things N1KY, including 20 sweet video messages from Nicky’s past and former teammates and coaches.

We transcribed them all and also dug out a few more tributes from social media.

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By Elizabeth Kong and Ian Oland 3 months ago

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Canucks sign goaltender Thatcher Demko to five-year, $25 million extension

The Vancouver Canucks reportedly re-signed Thatcher Demko to a five-year, $25 million extension on Wednesday.

The 25-year-old goaltender rose to fame during the 2020 playoffs due to an injury to starter Jakob Markstrom. Down 3-1 in a second-round series against the Vegas Golden Knights, Demko was spectacular and helped the Canucks win three straight games before losing in Game Seven.

Demko was handed the starting job this season. He was cold to start the year but has heated up recently. In March, Demko started 11 of 13 games. He won eight of those decisions and posted a .937 save percentage, leading to the huge extension.

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By Ian Oland 4 months ago

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Claimed! Travis Boyd reunites with Braden Holtby, Nate Schmidt, and Jay Beagle in Vancouver

The Vancouver Capitals are at it again!

Monday, Vancouver claimed Travis Boyd off waivers from the Toronto Maple Leafs. According to Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston, the Leafs were trying to save cap space ahead of the April 12 trade deadline by stashing Boyd on their taxi squad and only going with a 20-man roster.

That plan, uh, did not work.

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By Ian Oland 4 months ago

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Braden Holtby discusses mask controversy and making it right in new video

The Vancouver Canucks have released a great video detailing the controversy and process behind goalie Braden Holtby‘s mask for the season.

Holtby’s initial effort, a project by Swedish mask whiz David Gunnarsson, used impressions of Coast Salish art. After criticism, Holtby and Gunnarsson teamed up with indigenous artist Luke Marston to make the new mask, which is stunning.

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By Peter Hassett 4 months ago

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Vancouver Canucks interview ‘guitar enthusiast’ Braden Holtby about his love of music

Some people like to pass time by watching Netflix or playing video games, but not Braden Holtby. He likes to tap into his musical side and play guitar to cure his boredom.

“I have too many,” Holtby said to the Canucks laughing. “My wife complains about it all the time.”

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By Eliza Kravitz 5 months ago

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Internally-screaming Braden Holtby has had it up to here with the Canucks’ terrible defense

You gotta feel for former Capital Braden Holtby.

The Vancouver Canucks got molly whopped by the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday. The Leafs scored five consecutive goals before Brock Boeser tallied an inconsequential PP marker late in the third period. The Leafs won 5-1 and improved to 9-2-1 while the Canucks fell to a not nice 6-9.

To be blunt, Vancouver’s defense has been atrocious this season. Players often look lost in system play and tonight was no different.

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By Ian Oland 6 months ago

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Braden Holtby tosses hat onto the ice to celebrate teammate’s first career hat trick

With no fans this season, hat tricks celebrations just aren’t the same. But Braden Holtby recently did his best to make a teammate’s first career hatty feel special.

During Vancouver’s 7-1 victory over Ottowa on Monday, Holtby served as the backup to Thatcher Demko. Late in the third period, Canucks center Brandon Sutter scored his third goal of the game – his first hat trick in 13 seasons as a pro.

That’s when Holtby sprung to action.

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By Eliza Kravitz 6 months ago

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