Former South Carolina Stingrays’ goaltender Braden Holtby is The MeiGray Group ECHL Alumnus of the Month for December. The leading distributor of game- worn hockey jerseys and “Official Game-Worn Jersey Source of the ECHL,” MeiGray has sold more than 7,000 jerseys since it became “The Official Game-Worn Jersey Source of the ECHL” in 2002-03. The 26-year-old went 9-0-1 in 11 appearances in December with one shutout, a 1.69 goals-against average and a .947 save percentage. He allowed two goals or less and made at least 25 saves in nine of his 11 appearances. Holtby has played in 30 games this season and leads the NHL with 24 wins while ranking second in the league with a 1.86 goals-against average and fourth with a .934 save percentage. Selected by the Capitals in the fourth round (93rd overall) of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, Holtby has appeared in 208 career games with a record of 125-55-19, 22 shutouts, a 2.35 goals-against average and a save percentage of .923. A native of Lloydminster, Saskatchewan, Holtby appeared in 12 games with South Carolina during the 2009-10 season, earning a spot in the ECHL All-Star Game, and posting a record of 7-2-3 with a 2.95 goals-against average and a save percentage of .911. There have been who have played in the NHL after playing in the ECHL including 12 who have made their debut in 2015-16. The ECHL has had 389 players reach the NHL since 2002-03 when it changed its focus to become the primary developmental league for the NHL and the AHL. The ECHL had 97 players reach the NHL in its first 10 seasons and 215 in the first 15 years. There have been 325 ECHL players who have played their first game in the last 11 seasons for an average of more than 29 per year.
PREVIOUS WINNERS
MONTH | PLAYER | ECHL TEAM(s) | NHL TEAM |
October | Mike Condon | Ontario Reign/Wheeling Nailers | Montreal Canadiens |
November | Garret Sparks | Orlando Solar Bears | Toronto Maple Leafs |