Braden Holtby is so intense at Capitals practice he can lose 6 to 8 pounds

Braden Holtby is a competitor. It does not take long into a Capitals game to see that Holtby is one of the most intense players on the ice.

Holtby also brings that passion to every practice.

According to head coach Todd Reirden, the Capitals goalie can lose up six to eight pounds while at practice.

"Clearly the guy who sweats the most... is Braden Holtby. [He's] the one we have to watch a lot on the long, hard practices" Reirden said during his weekly appearance on the Sports Junkies. "He'll lose six to eight pounds on a practice."

A majority of the loss is water weight so it doesn't normally affect the player's overall health. Typically that weight can be gained right back once hydrated and energized after practice.

But still, shredding that much weight in a short span of time can be dangerous for a player. During practices, the players have heart rate monitors and are closely observed by the trainers to ensure the athletes are not pushed past their limits. Strengths coaches and performance coaches are also involved heavily in the process.

Holtby is not the only Capital that has drastic weight swings, but he is the most extreme.