Braden Holtby is on “Team Brouwer” on Caps’ in-house labor flap

When you’re an NHL player tucked away in the AHL during the lockout, it can be tough to keep up with the goings on with your locked out teammates. That isn’t the case for Capitals goalie Braden Holtby who has seen his teammates get in their own war of words thanks to the work stoppage.

Both Roman Hamrlik and Michal Neuvirth fired verbal shots at Donald Fehr over negotiations and were refuted by Troy Brouwer saying they were “selling out” the players’ cause.

Where does Holtby, who’s currently playing with the Caps farm team in Hershey, fall in this battle? You could say he’s on Team Brouwer as he shared with PHT on  Saturday night.

“Everyone’s really entitled to their own opinion. I don’t blame anyone for what they said,” Holtby said. “It’s a good thing Brouwer is more involved with the whole situation. It’s good to hear him speak up and back the union because that’s what we need right now.”

While he backs up Brouwer, he agrees with Donald Fehr when it comes to guys speaking their mind.

“I wouldn’t blame it on anyone [to speak their mind], but it’s very good to see that the guys that are actually doing something in the meetings are sticking up for the rights of the players and that’s what Troy did.”

Whether or not this whole thing will have adverse consequences when the lockout is something that will bear watching. After all, Hamrlik is one of their top six defensemen and Neuvirth will be competing with Holtby for the starting job in Washington.

If nothing else, training camp in Washington, whenever it happens, has turned into must-see TV.