New York Islanders Goaltending Upgrade Options for 2018-19

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WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 29: Goalie Braden Holtby #70 of the Washington Capitals looks on against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the first period in Game Two of the Eastern Conference Second Round during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Capital One Arena on April 29, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

Braden Holtby | Washington Capitals

Production

Record: 54 games played 34-16-4

Stats: 0.907SV%, 2.99GAA, 106GA%

Why Him?

He’s a Vezina winning goalie. That good enough for you? It should be. Sure, this year wasn’t a great one for Braden Holtby. An almost 3.00GAA and a sub 0.910SV% is well below his regular average. Through 361 career NHL games, Holtby has a 0.919 SV% and a 2.41 GAA.

He’s an above-average netminder in the NHL. Not only has Holtby won the Vezina trophy as the league top goaltender in 2015-16, but he finished runner-up in 2016-17 and fourth in voting in 2014-15. For three years straight he was one of the league top four netminders.

How is he available then?

The Caps have some salary cap trouble and with youngster Ilya Samsonov on the first year of his ELC. Never heard of him? He had a .936SV% and 2.13 GAA in the KHL two years ago and a .926SV% and 2.31GAA, all before the age of 22.

Why Not?

A goalie of this caliber doesn’t come cheap. If the Washington Capitals are about to let Braden Holtby go, it certainly won’t be to a divisional rival like the New York Islanders. And if they do, it won’t be cheap, expect one to two of those first rounders in 2018 to go.

And then there’s the fact that Holtby has a modified no-trade where he can name seven teams he can’t be traded to. How much do you want to bet that the Islanders are on that list?