How has Holloway looked so far?

[Drubilly]

Barby has a 60 point season under his belt with us. He has back to back 45 point seasons with Vegas and that production was almost exclusively at even strength. He has 28 points in 28 games this year and has consistently been in the top 6 during his time in Vegas. He is 98th in total points among NHl forwards since the start of the 2021/22 season and is 51st in even strength scoring over that stretch,

Barby isn't a driver and is benefitting from playing with good line mates, but he is a legit 2nd line talent. I'm guessing you meant the type of guy Barby was through most of his tenure as a Blue, but I love Barby and will pump his tires every chance I get.

As for Holloway, I see more 'our new Schwartz' than Perron if we're trying to draw a comparison to our Cup team. Great motor, great instincts, streaky production, and prone to a lot moments where the hands/skills can't execute what he wants to do with the puck.

Yes, definitely meant the StL Barby. Schwartz is a good comparable. Especially if he falls a lot.

 

[Reality Czech]

How Oilers fans cope:

1. Holloway took easy money to play on a mediocre team and hurt his chances to make more money in the future. He should have instead signed for 1M a year to have the honor to play next to Draisaitl.

2. Podkolzin has effectively replaced Holloway and they would rather have him, a player that has less than points than Holloway has goals.

3. They would rather have Skinner, Arvidsson, and Henrique to shore up their depth. Meanwhile Holloway has more goals than all of them combined this season while having the lowest AAV among them.

It's funny how Oilers fans called Holloway greedy for signing the offer sheet when he's literally witnessing his GM sign a bunch of aging vets for more money and will result in him getting shoved down the depth chart.

I was ecstatic when Oilers didn't match but even I didn't expect Hollywood to be this good already. I've really liked him with Thomas and hope Monty bumps him up and moves Kyrou to his own line. This kid is already a fan favorite and he'll only continue to get better.

Nice summary but you forgot my favorite one. Holloway got duped into signing the offer sheet, assumed the Oilers would match, and was likely super disappointed when they didn't.

 

[Mike Liut]

Holloway is much better at this stage of his career than Perron was. Not even close actually. A bigger, stronger Schwartz is a decent comp with his puck hounding and tenacity.

 

[Davimir Tarablad]

Looks like a Hollywood star

 

[Robb_K]

Kyrou is not a complete player. It’s either this or that. Not this and that.

I know, I know…..he scores goals and has been pretty good defensively, but why are most of us here left wanting more and scratching our heads?

Because we know he has more to give, but won’t give it.

He didn't want to work on his defence either, but he eventually did. His next move, for his own career, for himself to know he's trying to be the best player he can be, and most of all, for his hard-working teammates, he should work on another one of his deficiencies. It's taken him an awfully long time to realise that the natural skills he had that made him a superstar in Bantam, and dropped him to a mere very good player in low Juniors, and dropped him to merely a "good" player in major Juniors, has dropped him to merely an "above average, but flawed player" in his first several years in The NHL. Is he waiting for NHL teams just to toss him into the dust bin as an overpayed bust? Why did he bother playing organised hockey in the first place? Did he never have the thrill of winning a hard fought game as a TEAM? Or winning the division or league championship, and sharing that thrill with teammates who worked hard all season fighting hard through being tired, and illness, taking hits, blocking shots so they could get to that point??? I would have tried to get some help from a coach or a Blues' Alumnus who could give him some pointers. He certainly has enough money to pay for a personal skills coach to work with him during the offseasons. Is he married and has kids? I hadn't heard that. If not, it's not like he doesn't have the time. I was glad that he worked some on improving his defending and his play without the puck, and I applaud him for that. But why go half way? His teammates need him. And he should do it for his own self image, to know he gave this career a real effort. Next step is to work on his finishing. To me, partly wasting his skating speed and skill is a minor sin.

 

[Xerloris]

Kyrou is not a complete player. It’s either this or that. Not this and that.

I know, I know…..he scores goals and has been pretty good defensively, but why are most of us here left wanting more and scratching our heads?

Because we know he has more to give, but won’t give it.

You know, it's weird with Kyrou. My entire problem with him his 2 fold, poor choices and lack of a motor. Look at Holloways motor that never stops, Walker, Barbashev. f*** man, if Kyrou had half of what any of those 3 give every night he would be an absolute super star. Kyrou is one of the fastest skaters in the league yet on a nightly basis Holloway looks faster every single shift.

 

[ChicagoBlues]

He didn't want to work on his defence either, but he eventually did. His next move, for his own career, for himself to know he's trying to be the best player he can be, and most of all, for his hard-working teammates, he should work on another one of his deficiencies. It's taken him an awfully long time to realise that the natural skills he had that made him a superstar in Bantam, and dropped him to a mere very good player in low Juniors, and dropped him to merely a "good" player in major Juniors, has dropped him to merely an "above average, but flawed player" in his first several years in The NHL. Is he waiting for NHL teams just to toss him into the dust bin as an overpayed bust? Why did he bother playing organised hockey in the first place? Did he never have the thrill of winning a hard fought game as a TEAM? Or winning the division or league championship, and sharing that thrill with teammates who worked hard all season fighting hard through being tired, and illness, taking hits, blocking shots so they could get to that point??? I would have tried to get some help from a coach or a Blues' Alumnus who could give him some pointers. He certainly has enough money to pay for a personal skills coach to work with him during the offseasons. Is he married and has kids? I hadn't heard that. If not, it's not like he doesn't have the time. I was glad that he worked some on improving his defending and his play without the puck, and I applaud him for that. But why go half way? His teammates need him. And he should do it for his own self image, to know he gave this career a real effort. Next step is to work on his finishing. To me, partly wasting his skating speed and skill is a minor sin.

Kyrou has the skill to be a superstar in the NHL, but lacks the inner drive.

You know, it's weird with Kyrou. My entire problem with him his 2 fold, poor choices and lack of a motor. Look at Holloways motor that never stops, Walker, Barbashev. f*** man, if Kyrou had half of what any of those 3 give every night he would be an absolute super star. Kyrou is one of the fastest skaters in the league yet on a nightly basis Holloway looks faster every single shift.

Oh weird! I just posted a superstar comment.

 

[LGB]

The difference between Kyrou and the elite forwards in the NHL isn’t compete. It’s IQ and feel for the game, he just doesn’t process the game at the level a guy like Thomas does.

 

[Majorityof1]

For all the people complaining about Kyrou's untapped potential? Who is an NHL equivilant you'd like him to be? He's a 2nd round pick making outside of the top 40 forwards in salary. He's played most the season with linemates playing like shit.

He's tied tied for p/60 @ 5v5 with $13M man Matthews who has Marner stapled to his hip. Kyrou is lining up with as much time with Schenn as with Thomas, and the most time with Buch as his C.

Kyrou could donate half his salary to charity, win the Selke, put up 120 points while carrying Saad's dead weight literally strapped to his back, and people would still complain he has more to give. People are loving Holloway, who is scoring less than Kyrou by a considerable margin.

You already made up your mind about Kyrou, and God forbid you admit you're wrong. Better to do mental gymnastics about attitude and effort rather than saying, he's producing pretty damn well given what he's working with.

 

[BadgersandBlues]

For all the people complaining about Kyrou's untapped potential? Who is an NHL equivilant you'd like him to be? He's a 2nd round pick making outside of the top 40 forwards in salary. He's played most the season with linemates playing like shit.

He's tied tied for p/60 @ 5v5 with $13M man Matthews who has Marner stapled to his hip. Kyrou us lining up with as much time with Schenn as with Thomas, and the most time with Buch as his C.

Kyrou could donate half his salary to charity, win the Selke, put up 120 points while carrying Saad's dead weight literally strapped to his back, and people would still complain he has more to give. People are loving Holloway, who is scoring less than Kyrou by a considerable margin.

You already made up your mind about Kyrou, and God forbid you admit you're wrong. Better to do mental gymnastics about attitude and effort rather than saying, he's producing pretty damn well given what he's working with.

He's already carrying Saad's dead weight, dude has been atrocious this season. He's scored in two games all year, and he's getting fed some pretty juicy offensive zone candy. Kyrou is a pretty damn great player, and I think if we put some more talent around him we'll see him flourish. The only reason I'm even remotely interested in trading Kyrou is if it's for a bona-fide #1 D with a long contract recently signed and that's b/c Kyrou hits that sweet spot of age/contract/talent that makes him enticing to other teams while potentially not being a core piece for us if our winger prospects pop.

 

[TheOrganist]

This is a shift at the end of the Vancouver game. He hounds the puck at the point nearly causing a turnover. Afterwards, blocks 2 shots, hustles down the boards to get the puck in deep, squeaks by an exhausted Myers, it's him vs 3 Canucks, allows Blues to complete a change, centers back to Parayko (riskyish pass) who winds up getting a chance





Final shift of OT, Thomas wins the faceoff, Holloway mistakenly passes the puck back, hounds the puck resulting in a turnover, controls the puck and gives it to Thomas who feeds it back to him on the rush for the goal




He still has room to improve, but he's skating every shift with a ton of confidence. He has a ton of upside.

That first shift reminds me of the way TJ Oshie burst on to the scene early in his Blues career...blocking shots. Stopping on pucks. Relentless motor. There was a game I went to around 2009 against Philly where he almost single-handedly killed a Flyers powerplay and the crowd gave him a standing ovation when he went to the bench...Holloway has a little bit of that vibe.

 

[PocketNines]

I have watched hockey a long time. Kyrou is not "a damn great player." Pretty clearly even if you grant his improvement from abomination to not-abomination defensively, the idea that anyone was wrong about the issues with Kyrou is totally absurd and an agenda driven attempt to gaslight history. He is someone that today, right now, I wished had been a career Blackhawk.

 

[PocketNines]

That shift, I have still been thinking about it. It seems like a demarcation line, a signature shift of what the team is and can be. We've been watching the team under Montgomery and thinking about sustainability.

I don't think teammates and coaches can see a shift like that and it not be contagious especially in a situation where there is additional surrounding momentum, which there is because they're winning and competing hard leading up to it. It felt to me like the moment when I realized I was watching a Blues team that intends to be competitive in a way we can and should count on game to game.

i.e., the shift was a shift.

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

That shift, I have still been thinking about it. It seems like a demarcation line, a signature shift of what the team is and can be. We've been watching the team under Montgomery and thinking about sustainability.

I don't think teammates and coaches can see a shift like that and it not be contagious especially in a situation where there is additional surrounding momentum, which there is because they're winning and competing hard leading up to it. It felt to me like the moment when I realized I was watching a Blues team that intends to be competitive in a way we can and should count on game to game.

i.e., the shift was a shift.

That shift reflects an unteachable quality, a form of leadership. Seeing Holloway show that, and Neighbors showing his quality, I’m growing a lot more optimistic about the teams future.

 

[ArenaRat]

He's already carrying Saad's dead weight, dude has been atrocious this season. He's scored in two games all year, and he's getting fed some pretty juicy offensive zone candy. Kyrou is a pretty damn great player, and I think if we put some more talent around him we'll see him flourish. The only reason I'm even remotely interested in trading Kyrou is if it's for a bona-fide #1 D with a long contract recently signed and that's b/c Kyrou hits that sweet spot of age/contract/talent that makes him enticing to other teams while potentially not being a core piece for us if our winger prospects pop.

Pretty confident this is how other teams would value Kyrou, too

 

[ChicagoBlues]

For all the people complaining about Kyrou's untapped potential? Who is an NHL equivilant you'd like him to be? He's a 2nd round pick making outside of the top 40 forwards in salary. He's played most the season with linemates playing like shit.

He's tied tied for p/60 @ 5v5 with $13M man Matthews who has Marner stapled to his hip. Kyrou is lining up with as much time with Schenn as with Thomas, and the most time with Buch as his C.

Kyrou could donate half his salary to charity, win the Selke, put up 120 points while carrying Saad's dead weight literally strapped to his back, and people would still complain he has more to give. People are loving Holloway, who is scoring less than Kyrou by a considerable margin.

You already made up your mind about Kyrou, and God forbid you admit you're wrong. Better to do mental gymnastics about attitude and effort rather than saying, he's producing pretty damn well given what he's working with.

lame

 

[VanCanFanEDM]

Not matching on Holloway was straight up a bad move. Broberg was understandable based on where the Oilers were, with the cap ect.. but it wasn't hard to see that the money spent on Holloway was going to be better spent then all these aged out has-bins signed instead... Holloway had an excellent game against Vancouver, regardless of the production - he just played a solid game all over the ice. A true gift for St. Louis.

 

[ChicagoBlues]

Not matching on Holloway was straight up a bad move. Broberg was understandable based on where the Oilers were, with the cap ect.. but it wasn't hard to see that the money spent on Holloway was going to be better spent then all these aged out has-bins signed instead... Holloway had an excellent game against Vancouver, regardless of the production - he just played a solid game all over the ice. A true gift for St. Louis.

Fair. What happened happened. Dead horse is rotting away with a little hair floating around.

 

[Majorityof1]

For all the people complaining about Kyrou's untapped potential? Who is an NHL equivilant you'd like him to be?

I noticed that several complainers have commented, but none answered this question. So much easier to shift the goal posts when you don't have to set expectations.

The silence on this question, or any question on specific expectations or issues with the Kyrou hate, is deafening. You'll make up generalizations, but specifics, nah.

He's lazy, attitude issues, untapped potential. "How so? Give some examples." <crickets>

 

[Snubbed4Vezina]

Great quote from Jeff Marek re: the offer sheet twins:

 

[Mike Liut]

The player you guys want Kyrou to be is a 13 million dollar player. I’m completely happy with 35g Kyrou at 8 million, with 40g potential.

 

[Snubbed4Vezina]

I noticed that several complainers have commented, but none answered this question. So much easier to shift the goal posts when you don't have to set expectations.

The silence on this question, or any question on specific expectations or issues with the Kyrou hate, is deafening. You'll make up generalizations, but specifics, nah.

He's lazy, attitude issues, untapped potential. "How so? Give some examples." <crickets>

My hope for Kyrou was that he'd reach the level of a Matt Barzal. I don't think Kyrou's ever going to have the plamaking ability of a Barzal, but I'd argue that if he's not on the same level as Barzal talent wise now that he's cleaned up his defense, he's very close.

Kyrou is well worth his contract and he's going to be worth more than his contract over the life of the deal.

 

[Itsnotatrap]

I went to prospect camp at the Mills back in the day and gravitated to Kyrou then. I am almost certainly biased in his favor.

There have been some poor stretches of play in past seasons. I am not a technically advanced fan that can see the game quite as well as many of you (I have that ability more so with basketball). I am very confident that a big part of the problem with Kyrou is that the things that go sideways in his game are types of things that are easiest to pick up on. Occasionally trying to make a play when simple was best for the game and score situation, or the numbers on the ice in neutral and offensive zones.

The broader thing, even if loosely connected to above, is he is pretty far from the stereotypical sandpaper Blues prototype. He’s still a hell of a talent though, and I think he has objectively lived up to that potential he was flashing at prospect camps all those years ago.

 

[ChicagoBlues]

The player you guys want Kyrou to be is a 13 million dollar player. I’m completely happy with 35g Kyrou at 8 million, with 40g potential.

I don't like this logic. It's like playing down to an inferior opponent.

Maybe he thinks the same way as you. "If I got paid 13M, then I'd play better. But I'm getting paid only 8.5M, so you get an 8.5M player.

That's not a winning proposition.

I noticed that several complainers have commented, but none answered this question. So much easier to shift the goal posts when you don't have to set expectations.

The silence on this question, or any question on specific expectations or issues with the Kyrou hate, is deafening. You'll make up generalizations, but specifics, nah.

He's lazy, attitude issues, untapped potential. "How so? Give some examples." <crickets>

I'm not entertaining someone who posts absolutely nothing, but dismissive, contrarian refutations. You got nothin', bro.

Carry on.

 

[Mike Liut]

I don't like this logic. It's like playing down to an inferior opponent.

Maybe he thinks the same way as you. "If I got paid 13M, then I'd play better. But I'm getting paid only 8.5M, so you get an 8.5M player.

That's not a winning proposition.


I'm not entertaining someone who posts absolutely nothing, but dismissive, contrarian refutations. You got nothin', bro.

Carry on.

I don’t think you become a professional athlete by not playing your best. I think Kyrou is who he is at this point. A very good 35g player. He’s improved his overall game each year and could continue to slightly improve.