So then the Devils hoped they could turn Holtz around at that point.
At the time the Devils didn't love Holtz's game though.
But certainly possible that this past season, not just from Holtz, but the whole team, led Fitz to say a soft player like Holtz needed to go.
I think that's the default setting for mot teams, tbh. Particularly for early picks. Teams don't really give up on top 10ish prospects super early unless it's in a package for an established nhl player (think adam boqvist in the seth jones trade). At the very least, teams tend to keep them around through their waiver eligibility and give them the chance to turn their career around.
If they had moved him in a deal different deal before last year, it may have returned more, but probably not enough for people not to rip Fitz apart for giving up on a former 7oa. If they had traded him before last season for like pick 28 in the draft, I think people would have been unhappy for moving off him before really giving him a chance at the NHL level. Now they did give him a chance, he wasn't impressive, the value was in the garbage and people are also going to be unhappy. I'm not sure there was a way for the Devils to ever win with Holtz unless he had been in the Calgary or San Jose packages, tbh.
The Rangers held on to Lias Andersson until he was 22 as well, and I'm not sure they would have moved him if he hadn't asked for a trade. The rangers also held on to Kravtsov and are doing the same with Kakko. Vancouver held on to Olli Juolevi until he was 23. Philly held on to Nolan Patrick until he was 23, etc.