Braden Holt of the Victoria Royals, named Western Hockey League goaltender of the week, had big pads to fill when he broke into the WHL with the Everett Silvertips. The immediate previous goaltenders in the Everett crease were current Philadelphia Flyers starter Carter Hart and Flames-prospect and current Calgary Wranglers AHL starter Dustin Wolf. Both were heralded and won world junior championship gold medals with their respective national teams, Hart for backstopping Canada in 2018 (along with world junior silvers in 2017 and 2019) and Wolf with the champion U.S. team in 2021.
“That is a great history and were big shoes to fill,” said Holt.
Hart had graduated while Holt’s fellow-American Wolf was still around when Holt joined the Silvertips almost as an afterthought as a 12th-round selection by Everett in the 2018 WHL prospects draft. But the crease longshot proved he belonged. That’s something Holt has always fought to do, moving from his hometown of Bozeman, Montana, to the more competitive Triple-A youth leagues located near Detroit, Michigan.
“Dustin [Wolf] was a great mentor and I apply that knowledge I learned,” said Holt, of his WHL career 47-22-6 record, 2.80 goals-against average, .905 save percentage and eight shutouts in 81 regular-season appearances.
He learned well as Holt has been outstanding since the trade that brought him to the Royals last month and is undefeated in regulation for Victoria at 5-0-1 with two shutouts, a 1.81 goals-against average and .943 save percentage. Holt was cited for the WHL weekly award because of the 4-0 and 6-3 victories over the Kelowna Rockets with a 1.50 goals-against average and .949 save percentage in the weekend affairs.
Holt was dealt for former Royals goaltender and fellow 19-year-old Tyler Palmer, the five-foot-11 puck stopper who is 4-4 with Everett, with a 3.62 goals-against average and .893 save percentage since the trade.
“I was not expecting the trade but it’s turned into a great opportunity and we have been on a heater,” the six-foot-one Holt said, of the 7-2-1 Royals run, which has brought them within one point of a playoff position.
“The hard work is paying off as we want to prove we belong in the playoffs.”
The undrafted Holt doesn’t have the starry pedigree of Hart, drafted in the second round by the Flyers in 2016, or Wolf, drafted by the Flames in 2019. But the dream is the same.
“The goal is pro hockey, as it is for every player at this [WHL] level, and that motivates me every day,” said Holt.
The trade has proven a good one so far for Victoria.
“Braden learned a lot from Wolf about how to prepare and has demonstrated his evolution in the game,” said Royals GM and head coach Dan Price.
“He prepares very seriously but is also relaxed and has fun playing the sport. His saves have been timely for us.”
Holt will look to continue with the stops as the Royals (12-25-4) embark on a four-game road trip beginning Wednesday night in Kennewick, Washington, against a good Americans side (18-16-4) that includes defenceman Lukas Dragicevic, the No. 12-ranked North American skater for the 2023 NHL draft, and Czech world junior championship silver-medallists goaltender Tomas Suchanek and centre Adam Mechura.
The Americans’ second-leading scorer, behind the offensive-minded blue-liner Dragicevic, is Calgary Flames-drafted forward Parker Bell of Campbell River, the six-foot-four pro-style striding Islander, who always gets motivated and plays well against the Royals.
“[Bell] has acceleration and his timing is very good with the way he can jump into holes,” said Price.
The Royals will be without forward Brayden Schuurman, who played with Dragicevic on Team Canada at the 2022 world U-18 championship in Germany, and key defenceman Austin Zemlak. Both are injured and will miss the trip, which continues Friday in Portland against the Winterhawks, Saturday in Spokane against the Chiefs and Sunday in Kelowna against the Rockets.
Victoria captain and San Jose Sharks-signed defenceman Gannon Laroque missed Saturday’s victory over Kelowna and is day-to-day after recently returning from summer surgery, the effects from which apparently still linger, with load management required. Laroque has definitely made a two-way impact since his return to the blue line with two goals and five points in four games.
“[Laroque] will play the majority of games, but not all of them, over the next four-to-six weeks,” explained Price.
“Those will be game-day decisions.”
