The Edmonton Oilers have a ton of skill up front heading into the season. The addition of Connor Brown as well as bringing in Lane Pederson and Drake Caggiula give the Oilers some extra firepower while bolstering the team’s depth in case of injuries. The team didn’t swing for the fences by signing a big-name free agent, but given their already strong roster, they didn’t need to.
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One player who many fans will be watching is forward Dylan Holloway, who is entering his second NHL season. After battling through some injuries, Holloway got his first taste of NHL action in 2022-23 and was mostly utilized as a bottom-six forward. Unfortunately, he never found his offensive touch and finished the season in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Bakersfield Condors. He only played 51 games with the Oilers last season, scoring three goals and nine points. Not terrible for a rookie, but the Oilers have bigger plans for his future.
Holloway is an extremely skilled, offensive-minded forward who will be a huge piece of the team’s future. The question that many have is, where will he slot into the lineup? The Oilers want him to produce, so he should start in the top-six, but there isn’t any room for him to play at the top of the lineup, so does he slot into a bottom-six role again?
Holloway’s Career So Far
Holloway was drafted by the Oilers 16th overall in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft out of the University of Wisconsin. He also spent time with the Okotoks Oilers of the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) before making the jump to the NCAA, and scored 51 goals and 64 assists through 83 games over three seasons in the AJHL for a 1.39 points-per-game average.
Over two seasons in the NCAA, Holloway scored 19 goals and 52 points through 58 games, for a 0.90 points-per-game average. Despite some injury issues, he established himself as an offensive-minded speedster who can create opportunities for both himself and his teammates in any scenario.
He started his professional career with the Condors during the 2021-22 season as he fought his way back from a wrist injury. He scored eight goals and 22 points through 33 games and showed signs of being a potential stud if he and the Oilers played their cards right with his development plan.
I’m not saying it was the wrong call to put Holloway in the NHL as early as they did, but they shouldn’t have kept him up if their plan was to keep him in the bottom-six the whole time. He thrives off his offensive ability, so he should be playing in the top-six, where he has the chance to flourish. I know the Oilers tried him there for a few games, and it didn’t really work, but it’s going to take a lot more than a few games for him to start producing.
Where Should Holloway Slot Into the Lineup?
I am a fan of Holloway, and I think he deserves his chance to prove that he belongs in the top-six. He should start the campaign on the left wing on the third line and earn his opportunity in the top-six at some point. He will be a huge producer for the Oilers at some point, it’s just a matter of finding his confidence and building off of it.
Realistically, he will be the first player moved up in case of injury, or if the team needs an early shakeup. I can see them moving him to the right side and moving Brown down if the chemistry isn’t there, or even moving Ryan Nugent-Hopkins down to the third line to spread out the offense a little bit, giving Holloway his chance on one of the top lines.
Hopefully, Holloway will stay healthy and have a breakout season. He is an electric player and exciting to watch. I project 40-50 points from him this season, and he could even get a look on the second power-play unit.
