Braden Holtby Named First Star of the Week
Per the NHL, Braden Holtby has been named the NHL's first star of the week. In four games he posted a 4-0-0 record, with a 1.05 GAA, a .965 save percentage and his first career NHL shutout.
about 1 year ago
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WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
enjoy it, Holtby, because I know we sure have.
Pledge Drive 2010-2011: SO KIDS CAN!! Help build a playground
by RedBirdie on Mar 14, 2011 12:29 PM EDT reply actions 13 recs
Neuvy – NHL Rookie of the Month
Varly – NHL 1st Star of the Week
Holtby – NHL 1st Star of the Week
Irbe deserves a raise.
"I remembered when he said that and I kind of looked at him during the warm up and told myself that I got to shut these guys out tonight." - Michal Neuvirth, 02.06.11.
Irbe deserves a big statue at the corner of 7th and F.
Pledge Drive 2010-2011: SO KIDS CAN!! Help build a playground
by RedBirdie on Mar 14, 2011 12:44 PM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
I think it was Pierre who said something about Prior working with the prospects? Did he find retirement boring and go to Hershey, or was Pierre mixing stuff up?
Pledge Drive 2010-2011: SO KIDS CAN!! Help build a playground
Yes, he did come out of retirement. And their development is not just this year, but since they were drafted.
A few of us saw Prior at camp and commented on it and Mike Vogel posted a blog entry about his return soon after. Someone may be able to dig it up.
Cached...
Can’t find an active link, but here’s a cached version.
It’s the last point he makes at the end of the article.
Irbe deserves a big statue at the corner of 7th and F.
Have you seen Irbe in person? If he gets a medium-sized statue, that’s already larger than life…
Washington still suffers from legitimately below-average goaltending, which hurts them more than the defensive improvements help.
by Gould Old Days on Mar 14, 2011 6:12 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
I’ve stood next to him! He’s adorably pocket-sized.
Pledge Drive 2010-2011: SO KIDS CAN!! Help build a playground
You have a thing for small goalies, don’t you?
Six Beers Too Many fantasy team: It's Neu-virth Than Usual
"I wake up in the middle night frustrated because we lost out in the first round and I want to see our players hoist the Stanley Cup." -Brooks Laich
by CapitalCentre on Mar 15, 2011 9:51 AM EDT up reply actions
I guess I do. small goalies and Godzilla. go figure.
Pledge Drive 2010-2011: SO KIDS CAN!! Help build a playground
Has this EVER happened in a single season?
"I couldn't bring myself to cheer for Pittsburgh. But since they won, I may as well use it."
--BB, 2009
by nogoodtrying on Mar 14, 2011 1:11 PM EDT up reply actions
ZING
"I couldn't bring myself to cheer for Pittsburgh. But since they won, I may as well use it."
--BB, 2009
by nogoodtrying on Mar 14, 2011 1:53 PM EDT up reply actions
Varla-who?
Say no to Prince Fielder in 2012.
by Knubles and Bits on Mar 14, 2011 12:47 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
… and 24 games played over 70 for the team.
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by J.P. on Mar 14, 2011 1:02 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
And that’s the flip side with having three 22-year old or younger goalies with shotouts or three such goalies with at least seven wins…
…having to play three such goalies because of a carousel of injuries.
If you've read this far...seek help.
Even Cam Ward and Niemi had more experience than Holtby when they won the Cup. I just can’t see going to the playoffs with a guy this green.
Ken Dryden did it in 1971 because, well…he’s Ken Dryden. Not going to happen again, even if Holtby gets ten more starts before the playoffs. He belongs in Hershey, getting the experience that Neuvirth enjoyed — leading his team down the road to a chanpionship.
If you've read this far...seek help.
Tell that to Bruce. Holtby may be hot but there are only 12 more games to get Neuvirth ready for the playoff. Every game Holtby plays takes away one more game from Neuvy and if/when Varly returns they’ll need to get him ready for the playoffs as well which means even fewer games for Neuvirth. If the goal is to win a Cup, it will be done with Neuvirth and/or Varly. Holtby has to be the last alternative.
I don’t think Neuvirth needs that many starts to be ready for the playoffs. He just needs to be healthy.
First Round Exit! (Clap Clap ClapClapClap) First Round Exit!
By all accounts, he’s been healthy for the last two games and it’s not like we’re talking about a knee or groin injury that can be reinjured. He should be playing the large majority of the games from here on out. However, based on Boudreau’s comments, if Holtby stays hot I’m not convinced he will.
I’d like to believe that Bruce is smarter than we are, and he’s playing coy with the press (and maybe the goalies, too) as much as anything. Holtby showed some youth out there yesterday (if being a year and a half younger than your 1 and 1a goalies is youth). I think Tampa was a lot of adrenaline carrying the day. Edmonton was an awful team, and Carolina was shooting from the outside where he could see just about everything. Chicago was probably the toughest game he played all week. If the offense hadn’t overachieved by this season’s standards (four goals is a feast these days), he’d be 3-1-0 for the week. Until Varlamov is healthy, he should be giving Holtby no more than half the remaining starts, and probably should give the majority to Neuvirth.
Don’t try to figure Sasha out. Just ride the wave.
On the other hand, Chicago is the defending Cup champions, on 3 days rest, having won 8 of their last 10 coming in. Not seeing rookie mistakes is nice, seeing them in only 1 of 4 consecutive games is manageable.
"Inglewood Jack! Inglewood Jack!" - Coach Jules
by Alz Well That Ends Well on Mar 14, 2011 3:46 PM EDT up reply actions
Give the Team D some credit as well………they are doing a great job, and the numbers are strong no matter who is in net.
Last year, the Caps had 1,153 blocked shots for the season. With 1,060 blocked shots through 70 games they are on a pace for 1,241, a 7.7 percent improvement.
If you've read this far...seek help.
NHL.com probably. For only 5on5 data, you can use a timeonice playershot script or download a behindthenet team corsi page and use excel to multiply and add to get approximate blocked shot totals (rounding errors prevent them from being exact from BtN).
According to my calculations, at 5on5, the Caps this year have blocked 861 shots on 3104 opponent attempts at net (that is, shots + missed shots + blocked shots, i.e. Corsi events against), which is 27.7%. Last season, the Caps allowed 3593 Corsi events (in 81 games—sometimes the NHL mysteriously forgets to do play by play for a game) and blocked 898 shots, 25%.
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If you don't know how to use Timeonice, read this.
Behindthenet quick link to QoC/QoT/Corsi/PDO/Zonestarts
"Numbers don't lie, they just don't agree with you"--George E. Ays
If I reference a lot of stats, just assume I haven't seen anything to contradict or invalidate them.
by red army line on Mar 14, 2011 2:21 PM EDT up reply actions
with apologies to dj pauly d.. or maybe holtby, not sure
HOLTBY DAT BEAT UP
(> ^ .(> O .O)>
by Sentient Cheese on Mar 14, 2011 1:35 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
You owe us all an apology.
The keyboard is mightier.
by breed16 on Mar 14, 2011 2:52 PM EDT up reply actions 10 recs
HoltBEAST!
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Twitter: @IRockTheRed
E-mail: irockthered {at} gmail {dot} com
Why do people think Bruce wouldn't rely on Holtby as his primary goalie in the playoffs?
Bruce was perfectly content to ride Varly as long as he could in the 2009 playoffs. He discarded Theo — who was not injured, who had over a decade of experience, who had won the Hart and Vezina trophies and who had started over 40 playoff games in his career — after 1 1/2 games. And Varly was younger than Holtby is now (by 7 months) and had fewer NHL games under his belt (6) than Holtby does now, nor had Varly compiled the tremendous stats that Holtby has in those few games. (Granted Varly had some international experience.)
Then he did it again in 2010.
Given Bruce’s habit or riding the hot goalie, I do not find it at all far-fetched that Holtby not only plays in the playoffs but is the primary goalie.
Difference is that I don’t think BB ever had great confidence in Theo in the clutch moments.
He has been extraordinarily complementary of all three of our rookie (well one almost rookie) goalies. Varly is the big game goalie, Neuvy is the consistent “keep you in the game” goalie, and Holtby has just surprised everyone by his rapid development.
I would be shocked if he kept Holtby up for the playoffs unless Varly is hurt. And his giving him so many games may be a way of seasoning him in the NHL a bit in case Varly can’t be ready for the playoffs.
"Hockey won’t hold still for a portrait. To gain a glimpse inside you join it in progress—just as the players do."--epilogue of 24/7
by capsyoungguns on Mar 14, 2011 4:03 PM EDT up reply actions
And his giving him so many games may be a way of seasoning him in the NHL a bit in case Varly can’t be ready for the playoffs.
That makes a whole lot of sense. Also, keeping Neuvirth on his toes and ready to go grab his job “back” is another theory…
Photography: I Rock the Red
Twitter: @IRockTheRed
E-mail: irockthered {at} gmail {dot} com
I think most of us are thinking that maybe Coach has learned his lesson, or at least hoping so?
Holtby’s being a beast right now, but sooner or later, the job will probably fall back to Neuvirth, IMO. If he goes back to Varlamov (third time’s the charm?), I don’t expect pretty things to happen…
Photography: I Rock the Red
Twitter: @IRockTheRed
E-mail: irockthered {at} gmail {dot} com
He sure as hell deserves it.
Way to go Holtby! I gotta say, I feel pretty good about our goalies right now.
So how do you guys think Varly’s contract extension talks are going? I mean, right now he’s, presumptively, behind a guy who’s signed for two more years at just over $1M/year and is being pushed hard by a guy who’s on an ELC for another two years.
Just trying to capture the spirit of the thing...
Kuznetsov
Not sure where to post this, but there is an article on ESPN now that rumors Kuznetsov is coming over next year. It is insider only so I cannot read the article.
by CapsFanSince1979 on Mar 14, 2011 5:25 PM EDT reply actions
Given that it would unusual for ESPN to have unique content, my guess is that someone reworded an existing report and if it says what you posted above, that someone misunderstood or that the lead-in is misleading.
It does seem inconsistent to everything we have heard
by CapsFanSince1979 on Mar 14, 2011 5:39 PM EDT up reply actions
The Washington Capitals are hoping 2010 first-rounder Evgeny Kuznetsov makes the jump to the NHL next season, but the youngster is choosing his words carefully — and saying he’s staying home next season. But the Edmonton Journal’s Jim Matheson writes, “But odds are he%u2019s coming over. He, along with Swede Marcus Johansson and Cody Eakin — who had a terrific world junior championship for Canada — would give Washington three hugely talented young centres.”
In the KHL this season, the young forward has tallied 32 points in 44 games. He really shined in the World Junior Championship, alongside St. Louis Blues’ prospect Vladimir Tarasenko.
- Alvin Chang
http://www.edmontonjournal.com/sports/Hockey%20World%20Eastern%20Conference/4431273/story.html
Agreed, there’s nothing sourced. But he does have a bunch of Washington stories, a couple days after being in town with the Oilers. Does Matheson have a source inside the Caps front office?
Good point, could be that he had some off the record conversations.
Just looking at the situation objectively, it makes sense that next year is the best year for Kuznetsov to make the jump. From his perspective a) he knows the Caps are willing to let rookie centers play big minutes (See MarJo) and b) there’s going to be an opening in the 2nd or 3rd line center spot that’s his to lose. If he waits, the Caps might be forced to sign a free agent long(er) term and that would create a logjam.
If he is certain he’ll come over at SOME point, next season presents a prime opportunity.
The keyboard is mightier.
That’s assuming he is going to play centre. I could see him come over and play at Right Wing on the first or third line.
Something like
Ovechkin – Backstrom – Kuznetsov
Laich/FA – Johansson – Semin
Chimera – Arnott – Fehr
Beagle – Gordon – Hendricks – Bradley
by CapsFanSince1979 on Mar 14, 2011 8:09 PM EDT up reply actions
Care to lay a wager?
Washington still suffers from legitimately below-average goaltending, which hurts them more than the defensive improvements help.
by Gould Old Days on Mar 14, 2011 8:26 PM EDT up reply actions
I say spread ‘em, so the defense can’t defend ’em all:
Ovechkin – Backstrom – Fehr
Laich – Arnott – Semin
responsible, d-conscious wing – Johansson – Kuznetzov
4th line
Washington still suffers from legitimately below-average goaltending, which hurts them more than the defensive improvements help.
by Gould Old Days on Mar 14, 2011 8:26 PM EDT up reply actions
Not sure where to post this
Today’s Clips thread is the correct place to post items of hockey interest that are not related to specific articles. Or if it’s worth its own item, you can fanshot it. But the noon number is the place to discuss the noon number, not other topics.
Washington still suffers from legitimately below-average goaltending, which hurts them more than the defensive improvements help.
by Gould Old Days on Mar 14, 2011 6:24 PM EDT up reply actions 5 recs
I would totally rec this…if this was the noon number post :P get what you’re saying though. Nice to see posters helping out newbies instead of just shooting them down :)
The safe word will be "hwiskey"
d’oh!
(and I can’t help myself anyway, and am commenting on the Kuznutz thread despite my response)
Washington still suffers from legitimately below-average goaltending, which hurts them more than the defensive improvements help.
by Gould Old Days on Mar 14, 2011 8:27 PM EDT up reply actions
I thought fanshot but since I could not access the article I thought it would be a useless use of a fanshot.
by CapsFanSince1979 on Mar 14, 2011 8:11 PM EDT up reply actions
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