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Washington Capitals: Top 5 players to get excited for

By Michael Marzzacco

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 06: Braden Holtby #70 of the Washington Capitals looks on before a game against the New York Islanders at Capital One Arena on April 6, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/NHLI via Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 06: Braden Holtby #70 of the Washington Capitals looks on before a game against the New York Islanders at Capital One Arena on April 6, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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#1 Braden Holtby

RALEIGH, NC – APRIL 15: Braden Holtby #70 of the Washington Capitals watches a replay on the video board against the Carolina Hurricanes during a stop in play in Game Three of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs on April 15, 2019 at PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Gregg Forwerck/NHLI via Getty Images)
RALEIGH, NC – APRIL 15: Braden Holtby #70 of the Washington Capitals watches a replay on the video board against the Carolina Hurricanes during a stop in play in Game Three of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs on April 15, 2019 at PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Gregg Forwerck/NHLI via Getty Images) /

After Sergei Bobrovsky signed the contract of the summer, a seven-year, $70-million deal with the Florida Panthers, all eyes of the hockey world will be on Braden Holtby.

Holtby needs to step it up this season to show his worth and there isn’t any reason as to why he can’t. Unlike Bobrovsky, Holtby is also a Stanley Cup champion. The problem? The tight salary cap space.

Holtby has helped bail the Caps out of trouble time and time again and he’ll always be remembered in Washington for “The Save” and is simply the man. Like J.J. Regan of NBC Sports Washington points out though, don’t expect Holtby to take a hometown discount, especially after he took the Capitals to arbitration four summers ago.

The pipeline is interesting with Ilya Samsonov and Vitek Vanecek waiting in the wings as well as backup goaltender Pheonix Copley. It’s something to follow throughout the course of the season in both Hershey and Washington.

A best case scenario for Holtby will be to get in the neighborhood of 40 wins or more. Then general manager Brian MacLellan will have to make a big decision that will determine the course of the franchise in net for the years to come.

Related Story. Metropolitan Division outlook: Pittsburgh Penguins. light

How did we do with our top five? Did we miss one? Let us know in the comments.

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