When Washington Capitals prospects took the ice for Day 1 of Rookie Camp, they were joined on the ice by goaltending great Braden Holtby. Twenty of the team’s young skaters are getting in work at McMullen Hockey Arena in Annapolis, Maryland over the next four days.
Holtby was photographed by reader Keith working with the three goaltenders at camp — Garin Bjorklunk, Seth Eisele, and Collin MacKenzie— alongside Capitals’ development coach and fellow goalie great, Olie Kolzig. The two mentors registered 602 career NHL wins combined and sit first or second in most of the Capitals’ goaltending statistical categories.
Keith tells RMNB that three of the team’s forwards took shots and did drills with the goaltenders before the rest of the players came out on the ice for the full session.
RMNB asked the Capitals about Holtby’s official role with the team at Rookie Camp, but did not receive a response by publication.
Holtby’s participation at Rookie Camp comes after he served as a guest goaltending coach during Capitals Development Camp in July. The team publicly announced Holtby’s participation shortly before the start of camp.
While the 2016 Vezina Trophy-winner is not listed on the Capitals’ staff directory, he has had a presence with the team since last year’s training camp.
Holtby, who has not officially retired, last played in 2021-22 with the Dallas Stars. He posted a career record of 299-143-50 in 513 appearances along with 2.59 goals against average, .915 save percentage, and 35 shutouts. His brilliant diving stick stop in Game 2 of the 2018 Stanley Cup Finals, nicknamed The Save, helped lead the franchise to its first and only championship.
Update: The Capitals posted a photo of Holtby and Kolzig on the ice and added the following caption on Facebook, “Quite the goalie coach tandem at Rookie Camp!”
