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2016-17 Rink Wrap: Braden Holtby

Japers’ Rink Player Card (click for a hi-res version; data via NHL.comCorsica.hockey and Cap Friendly):

Holtby’s Season, Game-by-Game (via HockeyViz):

Holtby’s 10-Game Rolling 5v5 Save Percentage (via Corsica):

Holtby’s SAV3 chart, compared to cap-hit comparables (via Dispelling Voodoo):

Holtby’s 5v5 Shots Faced (via HockeyViz):

Holtby’s 5v5 Save Percentage in Two Qualifying Seasons (via Stats.HockeyAnalysis.com):

Key Stat: Holtby’s nine shutouts this year not only tied a career high, it led the entire NHL this season.

Interesting Stat: Holtby faced more shots (and shot attempts) over the past three seasons (regular season and playoffs) than any goalie over a three-season span since at least 2007-08 through 2009-10.

The Good: It was another outstanding regular season performance from the reigning Vezina Trophy winner. In fact, Holtby may have been even better than that storied 2015-16 season.

Holtby’s save percentage (.925), his goals against average (2.07), his shutout total (nine), his medium danger save percentage (.944) and his low danger save percentage (.993) were all improvements over that Vezina-winning season. Holtby was one of only two goaltenders in the NHL to finish in the top five league-wide in wins (42), shutouts, goals against average and save percentage (Sergei Bobrovsky was the other).

Holtby again collected some hardware as the recipient of the Jennings Trophy, and he once again is a contender for this year’s Vezina.

The Bad: It was an unusually poor postseason for Holtby.

Prior to this season, Holtby’s .938 career save percentage in the playoffs was the highest such percentage of all-time.

But Holtby was a shadow of himself against the Maple Leafs and Penguins. In the opening series, Holtby noted a lot of odd bounces seemed to go against him. He seemed unconcerned and saw most of the goals as fluky. But against Pittsburgh, the pucks that went passed Holtby couldn’t be shrugged off. In five of the six games against the Penguins, Holtby posted a save percentage under .910. In three of those games, it was under .900. In his 13 playoff games, Holtby allowed 33 goals. That’s a 2.54 goals against average. In total, Holtby’s save percentage was .909.

Holtby now ranks second-all time in playoff save percentage at .932, trailing longtime Boston Bruins goaltender Tim Thomas (.933).

The GIF/Video:

The Vote: Rate Holtby below on a scale of 1-10 (10 being the best) based on his performance relative to his potential and your expectations for the season – if he had the best year you could have imagined him having, give him a 10; if he more or less played as you expected he would, give him a 5 or a 6; if he had the worst year you could have imagined him having, give him a 1.

The Discussion: Was Holtby’s playoff performance reason for concern or just a fluke? What would it take for you to give him a “10” next year?

Other Holtby Season Reviews: RMNB

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