CAPITALS RETURN HOLTBY

October 14, 2011

ARLINGTON, Va. – The Washington Capitals have assigned goaltender Braden Holtby to the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League (AHL), vice president and general manager George McPhee announced today.

Holtby was recalled on Oct. 13 for Washington’s game at Pittsburgh but did not play. He made 27 saves in a 3-2 win in Binghamton on Oct. 7 to collect his first win of the season for the Bears. Last season, he posted a record of 17-10-2, was ranked tied for eighth in the AHL in goals-against average (2.29), 11th in save percentage (.920) and was tied for sixth in the league with five shutouts for the Bears.

The 22-year-old Holtby posted a 10-2-2 record with a 1.79 goals-against average and a .934 save percentage in 14 games with the Capitals last season. He became the first Caps rookie goaltender to be named NHL Player of the Week since Jim Carey accomplished the feat during the 1994-95 season. The 6’2,” 203-pound Holtby won his last five starts with Washington and recorded the only assist for a Caps goaltender last season.

The Lloydminster, Saskatchewan, native was the Capitals’ fourth-round choice, 93rd overall, in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.