Washington Capitals enjoyed a rare consistency on goal in the last 10 seasons with Braden Holtby, but that is about to change in 2020/21. Holtby is out of contract this offseason and will explore free agency, according to Capitals’ general manager Brian MacLellan.
“I would expect him to go to free agency,” said MacLellan on Tuesday. “The goalie market is probably a little unusually deep this year. I talked to his agent last week briefly about where he’s at and the kind of opportunities he’s looking for.”
The decision to let Holtby talk with other teams is probably influenced by Capitals’ salary cap limitations, which means that they can’t compete with offers that the 30-year-old goalie will probably attract on the free market. Another factor is a good play from rookie goalkeeper Ilya Samsonov, who showed great promise as Holtby’s backup this season.
Still, according to MacLellan, Washington will continue monitoring Holtby’s situation and hope for a positive outcome.
“I would assume he goes to free agency and we’ll keep in contact with him throughout the free agency period to see if he’s getting what he wants,” he added.
Since making his NHL debut during the 2010/11 season, Braden Holtby has been a commanding presence for the Capitals. He played 468 games in total for the franchise and boosts 2.53 goal against average alongside a .916 save percentage.
Holtby has five consecutive All-Star appearances since 2016 and helped the Capitals win the Stanley Cup in 2018.
