Player Discussion Dylan Holloway Part 2 | Coming Off of an Injury and Turning Pro in '21-22

[Spawn]

He starts for sure with us this season. Gets his minimum 9 games. He's faster and more physical than most players on our roster.

Holloway's contract can't slide this upcoming season. He burns up a year of his ELC regardless of being in the NHL or AHL. The 9 game minimum doesn't come into play here.

 

[CycloneSweep]

He starts for sure with us this season. Gets his minimum 9 games. He's faster and more physical than most players on our roster.

Hyman - McDavid - Pulju
RNH - Draisaitl- Yamamoto
Foegele - Ryan - Kassian
Blank - McLeod - Archibald

Or some mix of that. There is 1 4th line spot open. Unless Holloway massively outplays a guy like Benson he will start in the AHL to give him playing time to adapt to the pros.

I think him making the opening night roster is very slim, and thats not a knock on the player.

 

[Spawn]

Hyman - McDavid - Pulju
RNH - Draisaitl- Yamamoto
Foegele - Ryan - Kassian
Blank - McLeod - Archibald

Or some mix of that. There is 1 4th line spot open. Unless Holloway massively outplays a guy like Benson he will start in the AHL to give him playing time to adapt to the pros.

I think him making the opening night roster is very slim, and thats not a knock on the player.

The other thing to consider is he did play center in college did he not? If he comes in and outperforms McLeod too, he could potentially earn that spot as well.

 

[CycloneSweep]

The other thing to consider is he did play center in college did he not? If he comes in and outperforms McLeod too, he could potentially earn that spot as well.

I feel like a lot of people don't really peg him as a center at the NHL level. More of a winger. I remember at the WJC he played as a winger as well. I think he is a "center if needed" kind of guy.

 

[Spawn]

I feel like a lot of people don't really peg him as a center at the NHL level. More of a winger. I remember at the WJC he played as a winger as well. I think he is a "center if needed" kind of guy.

For sure. But if he comes in and is great and its McLeod who is struggling vs a guy like Benson than I could see it as McLeod is still waiver exempt.

 

[McJadeddog]

The other thing to consider is he did play center in college did he not? If he comes in and outperforms McLeod too, he could potentially earn that spot as well.

This is a good point. He apparently is good on faceoffs as well, for however much that counts. The organization certainly seems to like McLeod though, so I think Holloway will be in tough to remove him. I personally have been considering him a winger, but maybe the org has other thoughts?

However training camp shakes out, I think Holloway will be one of the first callup options when the inevitable injuries occur, so you gotta think he is going to get at least a few NHL GP in this year.

 

[CycloneSweep]

thats true, the part that gets left out is Holloway was dominant in the AJHL, i saw him multiple times take over games shift after shift. His first year in college he was literally the youngest player in the league. The Holloway bashing was before he had ever even played a college game. the okotoks games arent easy to find but anyone who saw him play there is not surprised by the way he exlpoded.

*Figured I would move the talk here*
The AJHL is a very weird league though. The year Holloway dominated the AJHL a guy a few months younger, Alex Young had 14 less points than him and a guy a year young, Carter Savoie had 15 less points. Young went in the 7th round, Savoie in the 4th. I mean hell, the year that Makar dominated the AJHL there was a kid there named Ty Readman who put up similar numbers (although a center) but today at 23 is only 5'6".

Its a very very hard league to draw conclusions of and with his first university season it was hard to get a read.

Carter Savoie was better than Holloway was in the AJHL too and it didn't get him high drafted.

Every so often you get a great guy out of that league but yeah.

Looking at the 4 guys drafted on either side of Holloway and I think he had the best year out of them all or at least up there
Seth Jarvis - PPG in WHL easier than PPG in Uni
Anton Lundell - Okay, this guy definitely had a better season than Holloway but he was drafted before.
Cole Perfetti - Had a decent world juniors and put up good numbers in the AHL. Holloway looked more dominate imo, but in college
Rodion Amirov - Never liked this prospect and liked Holloways game far more this past year
Kaiden Guhle - Was the guy I really didn't want but didn't play like at all this year, zero read
Lukas Reichel - Definitely think Holloway outperformed him. Reichel did good numbers at the world juniors but I think Holloway was the better player
Dawson Mercer - Good player, always struggle comparing the QMJHL to the other leagues. He was on pace to put up a few more points than Bourgault and I think Holloway is better so...I think he is still ahead here

I'd say in the draft +1 for forwards in that 10-20 mark Holloway is near the top or dead center which makes sense as he went like dead center. He went from feeling like a reach to being picked in the right spot imo.

 

[Mr Positive]

I thought he looked like a guy with zero offensive potential at the next level. A lot of try, not a lot of results.

That's fair to criticize but you never know. For the role we are expecting out of Holloway, I'd think his positioning is more important than top end finish. His play away from the puck will be important, and just getting pucks onto the net. If he gets top six time, then most of his job will be fishing out pucks and sending to McDavid or Draisaitl.

 

[GOilers88]

I think this was in the midst of his point streak. He was on fire at one point.

What a f***in beauty

 

[K1984]

A Holloway - McLeod combo on the 3rd line would be a lightning fast checking line.

Experience is obviously an issue, but both would be able to skate with any line in the NHL, if only there was a way to sharpen up their checking ability at a rapid pace.

 

[yukoner88]

The Broberg pick was considered universally bad when it was leaked. Somehow magically became genius the moment Holland actually selected him despite a ton of red flags.

I have troubles letting that go. I think more people should. I will also repeat I hate the pick not the player and hope he beats the odds and ends up a monster for us down the road.

Holloway was a good pick, not the one I would have, but good at the time he was drafted and has only gotten better.

I think with our new forward depth he likely gets the full year to develop in the AHL whether he actually needs to or not.

"Universally bad" in the sphere of people who hated the pick because people tend to have this idea that any 1st round pick should be seen as immediate help.

The hockey world in general saw it as more of a safe pick, as a guy who will probably crack the line up 4 ish years after his draft. And reading on his progress, the guy seems to have been developing right on schedule. With Bouchard all but ready to graduate into the line up, isn't Broberg the next to start banging on the door?

 

[Aerchon]

"Universally bad" in the sphere of people who hated the pick because people tend to have this idea that any 1st round pick should be seen as immediate help.

The hockey world in general saw it as more of a safe pick, as a guy who will probably crack the line up 4 ish years after his draft. And reading on his progress, the guy seems to have been developing right on schedule. With Bouchard all but ready to graduate into the line up, isn't Broberg the next to start banging on the door?

There are always conflicting scouting reports but most the ones I read had Broberg extremely raw and of a boom or bust nature. Low hockey IQ but a great physical specimen that skates very fast forward.

I don't believe Broberg pick was originally panned because of "immediate help" but certainly positional need was a big reason.

Edit: also I think Samorukov is next in line to be banging on the door.

 

[Spawn]

That's fair to criticize but you never know. For the role we are expecting out of Holloway, I'd think his positioning is more important than top end finish. His play away from the puck will be important, and just getting pucks onto the net. If he gets top six time, then most of his job will be fishing out pucks and sending to McDavid or Draisaitl.

Based on the numbers he put up in college I hope we can expect more than that.

And I keep seeing that we just need guys to fish pucks out of corners and get it to McDavid or Drai. Neither of those players are in the business of dumping the puck in and they've both been at their best when they are playing with other high end skill players. We've got plenty of players who can dig in the corners. Precious few who can actually do something with it when they get the puck shift to shift. In our projected top 9, basically Nuge is the only winger who can do anything else with the puck consistently. I'm hoping Holloway can turn into a real top 6 forward who can actually drive some offense and make some plays.

 

[yukoner88]

There are always conflicting scouting reports but most the ones I read had Broberg extremely raw and of a boom or bust nature. Low hockey IQ but a great physical specimen that skates very fast forward.

I don't believe Broberg pick was originally panned because of "immediate help" but certainly positional need was a big reason.

This is what I was getting at. Most of the anger around here (from those who were mad at the pick) wanted a forward whom they projected as immediate help.

 

[Mr Positive]

Based on the numbers he put up in college I hope we can expect more than that.

And I keep seeing that we just need guys to fish pucks out of corners and get it to McDavid or Drai. Neither of those players are in the business of dumping the puck in and they've both been at their best when they are playing with other high end skill players. We've got plenty of players who can dig in the corners. Precious few who can actually do something with it when they get the puck shift to shift. In our projected top 9, basically Nuge is the only winger who can do anything else with the puck consistently. I'm hoping Holloway can turn into a real top 6 forward who can actually drive some offense and make some plays.

sure we have players who can go into corners, but there's a big difference between a bottom six version of that and a top six version. Maybe Bourgault will be more of that offensively skilled player?

 

[Samus44]

I feel like a lot of people don't really peg him as a center at the NHL level. More of a winger. I remember at the WJC he played as a winger as well. I think he is a "center if needed" kind of guy.

He's an outstanding option for C. He thinks the game well, can transport pucks, and is positionally sound. He's also a beast in the dot. I think the Oilers should try and develop him at C in the AHL. I'd be fine with him starting as a winger but he's the ideal two way checking center if developed.

 

[JustNapalmIt]

This is what I was getting at. Most of the anger around here (from those who were mad at the pick) wanted a forward whom they projected as immediate help.

Not a whole lotta immediate help coming out of the forwards picked subsequent.

 

[Cloned]

@Oilhawks

Holloway is damaged goods and won't make the NHL with his broken thumb.

 

[Oilhawks]

@Oilhawks

Holloway is damaged goods and won't make the NHL with his broken thumb.

Not you!

 

[Cloned]

Not you!

 

[Tobias Kahun]

@Oilhawks

Holloway is damaged goods and won't make the NHL with his broken thumb.

Wheres the poll asking this question.

 

[Cloned]

Wheres the poll asking this question.

It's not a tough enough choice.

 

[GhostfaceWu]

The Broberg pick was considered universally bad when it was leaked. Somehow magically became genius the moment Holland actually selected him despite a ton of red flags.

I have troubles letting that go. I think more people should. I will also repeat I hate the pick not the player and hope he beats the odds and ends up a monster for us down the road.

Holloway was a good pick, not the one I would have, but good at the time he was drafted and has only gotten better.

I think with our new forward depth he likely gets the full year to develop in the AHL whether he actually needs to or not.

We get it you hate Broberg and you've finally found someone who shares your opinion. Hates the "pick" not the "player" while basically responding to every post in the Broberg thread about how much he sucks.

 

[McTonyBrar]

Zegras #4 on that list. I went looking for Broberg and couldn't find him. Must have been some mistake..... I did however find Newhook at #12, Boldy at #13, Krebs at #26, Tomasino at #29, Soderstrom at #38, Podkolzin at #39. What do all those players I just mentioned have in common? They were all taken very quickly after Broberg was taken (with a huge reach pick by Holland) and were all players that people on HF were pretty excited about the opportunity to potentially pick. any of those picks would have been light-years better than Broberg. What a massive, MASSIVE, failure that draft was.

I have looked at this draft in dismay so many times, and it really never stops hurting. Holland foolishly took Broberg at 8, and here are the 9th through 17 picks that were taken directly after him. Zegras, Podkolzin, Soderstrom, Boldy, Knight, York, Caufield, Newhook, Krebs, and finally Harley. All 10 of those players taken next are significantly better than Broberg, and some of them are *laughably* better. Interestingly, Broberg was ranked around the 15-20 mark in most pre-draft rankings. Here is a good compiled list of them: 2019 NHL Draft Rankings. If we just follow the "average rankings" that are compiled, we 100% pick a better player. So frustrating.

Broberg might end up being a serviceable NHL player one day, hell, he might hit it out of the mark and end up a 2nd pairing guy in a few more years. But this was a terrible pick, no matter how you slice it.

Lol and what makes you say it was a terrible pick when he hasn't even stepped into AHL or NHL hockey?

 

[McTonyBrar]

So if he becomes an impact player, it's still a fail because some other guys may have made it to the show first?

Apparently so. By this way of thinking, we failed because Ristolainen started playing in the NHL before Nurse even though Nurse is far better