Braden Holtby was born September 16, 1989 in Lloydminster, Alberta. A standout junior for the Saskatoon Blades of the Western Hockey League, he was selected in the fourth round of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft by the Washington Capitals.
Holtby joined the Capitals' AHL affiliate, the Hershey Bears, in 2009 and got his first taste of NHL action 2010. Though the young goaltender posted an impressive 10-2-2 record in his first tour of duty with the Caps, he was returned to the AHL on March 27, 2011.
Injuries to both Tomas Vokoun and Michal Neuvirth opened the door for Holtby late in the 2011-12 season and Holtby proved to be up to the challenge. In the first game of the playoffs he stopped 29 of 30 shots and followed that up with a 43 save performance in game 2. Holtby was a key contributor to the Capitals' first round upset of the defending champion Bruins and his sensational play pushed the top seeded New York Rangers to deciding seventh game.
