Vancouver Canucks sign goaltender Braden Holtby to two-year contract

The Vancouver Canucks have signed goaltender Braden Holtby to a two-year contract with an AAV of $4.3-million, as first reported by TSN’s Rick Dhaliwal.

The short-term deal means the Canucks likely won’t be bringing back Jacob Markstrom.

Holtby, 31, has long been one of the top goaltenders in the NHL, but is coming off his worst season in the league. His down year saw him post a 25-14-6 record and a .897 save percentage.

But in saying that, he has been a star in the NHL for the last decade with the Washington Capitals. His career save percentage is .916, and it wouldn’t surprise me in the least to see him rebound after playing the least amount of games in the last six years.

A native of Lloydminister, Sask., Holtby’s deal has no movement clauses, TSN’s Bob McKenzie reported, meaning that he will be eligible to be taken by the Seattle Kraken in the expansion draft next year.

The deal comes with very little risk, too. Vancouver has given Holtby, who is only a year older than Markstrom, a much shorter, and cheaper deal than that they would’ve offered Jacob.

The Canucks will now air a tandem of Holtby and @Thatcher Demko for at least the next season seasons.

After the signing of Tyler Motte earlier, and now Holtby, the Canucks have $9.95-million in cap space according to Puckpedia.