WHL Draft Day Steals: Braden Holtby
Looking back at Braden Holtby, who was drafted by the Saskatoon Blades in the ninth round.
Photo by Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports - WHL Draft Day Steals: Braden HoltbyWelcome to this edition of WHL Draft Day Steals. In this recurring column, we look at some of the best steals in the history of the WHL Draft. This week's steal is Braden Holtby, who was drafted by the Saskatoon Blades 161st overall in 2004.
Back in 2004, the Saskatoon Blades took a chance on a 6'0", 175-pound goaltender from Lloydminster, SK, named Braden Holtby. Originally selected in the ninth round, he played for the Lloydminster Heat U15 AAA team alongside future NHLer Lance Bouma. It is safe to say the pick worked out well as not only did Holtby turn into a star at the WHL level, but he became one of the most dominant goaltenders in the NHL during his 12-year career.
After two seasons at the U18 level, Holtby joined the Blades full-time in 2006-07. He would play 51 games that season while also being invited to play for Canada at the U18s. His WHL career would last two more seasons as he posted an 82-75-15, which remains the second most wins in franchise history. Thanks to his stellar play, he would go on to be drafted by the Washington Capitals 93rd overall in 2008, making his debut in the NHL during the 2010-11 season.
Holtby would go on to have an extraordinary NHL career shared between the Capitals, Vancouver Canucks and Dallas Stars. He won the Vezina Trophy in 2016 and the Stanley Cup in 2018 while sitting 40th on the all-time wins list with 299 in 513 games. One of the most successful WHL alums in NHL history, it is safe to say he could be classified as a WHL draft day steal.
Make sure you bookmark THN's WHL site for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.
