Photo: The Province

Goaltender Braden Holtby was in the starter’s crease during the Dallas Stars’ morning skate prior to Friday’s game against the Washington Capitals at American Airlines Center (9 PM ET, NBC Sports Washington in-market, ESPN+ out-of-market). This will mark the first time that he will stare down his former team at the other end of the rink.

The 32-year-old is 9-8-1 with a .917 save percentage (tied for 16th in the NHL) and a 2.47 goals-against average in his first season in the Lone Star State.

Braden Holtby is in the starters net for the @DallasStars this morning. No surprise considering Washington is the opponent.

— Bruce LeVine (@BruceLeVinePuck) January 28, 2022

Holtby, whom the Capitals picked 93rd overall in 2008 NHL Draft, went 282-122-46 with a .916 save percentage, a 2.53 goals-against average, and 35 shutouts in 468 career regular-season games with from 2010-2020. He won the Vezina Trophy as the league’s best goaltender in 2016, when he tied Martin Brodeur’s wins in a single season (48) record and was a finalist again in 2017, with the Capitals.

Stars and Jim Nill honor Braden Holtby for 500 starts pic.twitter.com/Qkvyb29M93

— Saad Yousuf (@SaadYousuf126) January 28, 2022

In 97 career Stanley Cup Playoff games with the Capitals, Holtby went 50-46 with a .926 save percentage, a 2.13 goals-against average, and seven shutouts, including 16-7 with a .922 save percentage, a 2.16 goals-against average, and two shutouts after sitting for the first five periods of the team’s run to the Stanley Cup in 2018.

Holtby signed a one-year contract with the Stars after the final year of his contract with the Vancouver Canucks was bought out. He played just 21 games last season, finishing with a career-worst 7-11-3 record, .889 save percentage, and a 3.67 goals-against average.

Holtby is scheduled to return to Washington for the first time on Sunday, March 20.

By Harrison Brown