The Washington Capitals had a goaltending epiphany during the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Forced to use their top minor league goaltender with starter Tomas Vokoun and backup Michal Neuvirth injured,  a star was born in Braden Holtby.

With only seven professional games on his resume, Holtby became the default starter as the Capitals took on the defending champion Boston Bruins in the first round of 2012. Staring down the 2011 Conn Smythe Trophy winner Tim Thomas in the opposite goal, Holtby sparkled and the Capitals stunned the hockey world.

After bouncing the Bruins, the Capitals pushed the Rangers and 2012 Vezina Trophy winner Henrik Lundqvist to seven games before bowing out. The brash, young rookie took turns making spectacular saves with King Henrik, and single-handedly kept the overmatched Caps alive for seven more games.

The delay to the 2013 season postponed the curiosity of Washington fans that wondered if Holtby was the real deal or just riding an incredible hot streak. A slow start tempered the enthusiasm until mid-March when Holtby and the Capitals took the league, specifically the Southeast Division by storm.

Led by the white-hot scoring stick of Alexander Ovechkin, Holtby did his part posting a .930 save percentage over the last two months of the season. The Capitals were able to secure the division crown, the third seed in the east and a rematch with Henrik and the Rangers. Holtby was every bit as impressive as the year before, nearly stealing the series before a complete team collapse in Game Seven.

The new Metropolitan Division will re-familiarize the Caps with their nemesis from Broadway and some high scoring teams in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and New York (Islanders). Old division foes Carolina renew their acquaintance, with New Jersey and Columbus rounding out the division.

The forecast for the Caps this season doesn’t have them in the hunt for a Stanley Cup, but that could change if 23-year old netminder learns to take over games. If he can become the same player who matched Vezina Trophy winners save for save, Holtby and the Capitals won’t need to lean so heavily on their enigmatic captain Alexander Ovechkin. With a Canadian Olympic invite on the backburner, Braden Holtby will have some extra incentive to impress this season.

For fantasy owners, consider Holtby a backup option if not a late round starter. Expect him to get drafted in most 10-12 team leagues as a late round low risk sleeper. With his youth and small sample size, it’s hard to justify taking Braden Holtby anywhere before the seventh or eighth round, but that all could change if he has a better start than 2013.