It might have taken a little longer than many would have liked and expected, but Dylan Holloway is proving that he is a legitimate NHLer for the Edmonton Oilers this season. The season didn’t start so great offensively for him, and that’s what the Oilers expected to see improve from the season prior, but goals and points were tough to come by for most to begin the season.
Injuries have not been kind to the young forward as multiple times he has missed an extended period of time and been sent down to the American Hockey League (AHL) upon his return, whether that be for a long while or a short while. I don’t mind that the Oilers are learning from past mistakes and not rushing Holloway into the NHL, only for him to play six minutes a night during key development years. Rather, they are allowing him to gain confidence and touch the puck in all situations on the top line in the AHL until he is definitely ready to stick in Edmonton. Well, that time has come.
After Holloway’s most recent callup once playing in a few games in the AHL to get back up to speed, he has fit right in the Oilers’ lineup on the third line and has not stood out in any negative way. He has been doing more than duties that would come with a fourth-liner, and that’s why it is beneficial to keep giving him third-line minutes as long as he plays the way he has been. The only change in ice time the 22-year-old has had from the start of the season is four more seconds per game. That isn’t what changed with his game though.
Holloway has proven to be a quick starter. He has come to training camp for the past three seasons and really impressed. Injuries, a mistake, or timing has gotten in the way, but all of that will hopefully be behind him as he fits in great alongside Ryan McLeod and Corey Perry. Every time that third line of the Oilers touches the ice, there is speed, cycling, offensive time with the puck, and tons of effort.
While Holloway has the speed of McLeod, he is learning to also be a pest like Perry. It is the perfect situation and could result in something very good for the Oilers down the line. Holloway served his time in the AHL and has grown out of any lessons that the league would give him, even if he is still eligible to be sent down to play there without having to go through waivers. Some say the Oilers still need forward depth, even after the team signed Perry. I would counter that by saying Holloway was another addition to the team that they had been winning without and is a clear upgrade over who he took a spot from in the lineup (Adam Erne/James Hamblin).
Holloway’s Trajectory & Talent Around Him
The Oilers drafted Holloway in the first round at 14th overall. The timing is about right for him to start making an impact in the NHL, even if it is late compared to others that were close to him in the draft. The physicality has always been there for Holloway, especially once he learned that he wasn’t going to be a first-line winger right away in the NHL. This is an important lesson for him to learn as it makes the young winger more well-rounded and more valuable. Hitting and forechecking hard is never frowned upon by coaches or anyone else. Based on it, he will gain a reputation for disrupting the defencemen or anyone else who touches the puck, forcing errors from the other team.
I believe that Holloway will grow into a top-six winger or even get his time down the middle eventually since he’s capable. Since being recalled from the AHL after his injury, he has one goal and two points in five games (from “Far too long postponed, Oilers prospect Dylan Holloway finally gets a real chance: 9 Things”, Edmonton Journal, Jan. 21, 2024). This isn’t something to call home about, but it is an improvement since he scored just one goal and no assists in 14 games before his injury, and it came in his 13th game of the season. For right now, the Oilers need players just like him making under $1 million per season to make an impact in the bottom-six.
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When it comes to what the Oilers should acquire before the trade deadline, the discussion of another bottom-six forward comes up. After these two recent additions with Perry and Holloway, I see other areas that need addressing first before any chemistry that these players have built gets messed up, jeopardizes Holloway’s ice time, or unneeded assets are wasted. Holloway does all the little things right that make a player tough to play against and stand out. He has scored in every league he’s played in. Once that catches up, there’s no going back.
