In the NHL, there is simply no substitute for a brilliant playoff run.
The regular season may be 82 games long and provide every player with the chance to show what he’s capable of, but the reputations of the truly great teams and players are forged in the crucible of the postseason.
It’s why the hockey community admires the Los Angeles Kings but turns its collective nose up at the San Jose Sharks; it’s the reason Jonathan Quick is seen as a member of the NHL elite, while Roberto Luongo’s exceptional career doesn’t draw the same level of praise.
It’s why the last few weeks mark the moment when Braden Holtby went from solid, promising young goalie to NHL star.
Holtby has provided the Washington Capitals with a nearly superhuman performance in the 2015 Stanley Cup playoffs. He is the primary reason the Caps squeaked past a solid Islanders team in seven games; he’s also been the most dominant player in the team’s second-round series against the New York Rangers, a series Washington currently leads by a margin of three g ...
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Article written by Jonathan Willis