This is shaping up to be an interesting off-season for the Washington Capitals and general manager Brian MacLellan, with re-signing pending restricted free agent goalie Braden Holtby among the priorities.
Holtby, 25, is coming off an impressive 2014-15 season, with 41 wins, a .923 save percentage (seventh in the NHL) and 2.22 goals-against average (fifth in the NHL). His Stanley Cup playoff was even better, although it only lasted two rounds after a seven-game series loss to the New York Rangers in the Eastern Conference semifinal.
Still, he posted a .944 save percentage and 1.71 goals-against average in 13 post-season games, which were both good enough for second amongst all NHL goalies in the playoffs. According to Sportsnet.ca, Holtby had a cap hit of $1.85 million this past season.
“We’re negotiating,” MacLellan told Craig Custance of ESPN. “We’re trying to get a good deal done for both parties. He’s a priority for us. I think we’ll get it done. It seems to be going the proper way in negotiations.”