Edmonton Oilers’ forward Dylan Holloway has the potential to be a difference-maker this season with his blend of size, speed, and skill. His team will count on him to provide secondary scoring, and turning the page on a less-than-stellar rookie season is essential. In saying that, below we’ve outlined three predictions for the speedy forward for the 2023-24 season.
Holloway Will Force His Way Into Oilers’ Top 6
Holloway had a tremendous preseason a year ago, where he recorded four goals and two assists in six exhibition games. The former 14th overall pick showcased his speed and skills throughout training camp and earned a spot next to Leon Draisaitl in the top six to start the regular season.
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But that stint playing with the former Hart Trophy winner was short-lived. On the first shift of his first NHL game, he coughed up the puck right onto the stick of Vancouver Canucks’ Elias Pettersson which ended up in the back of the Oilers’ net, and Holloway was promptly removed from Draisaitl’s line.
That play marked the beginning of a string of rookie mishaps that followed for the rest of the season and the young forward saw little action in the top six. Overall, he struggled to find his footing, recording just three goals and six assists in 51 games.
The question heading into this season is where will Holloway play? Former NHL player Jason Strudwick chimed in on that on the “Got Yer Back” podcast, saying, “He has not earned the right to be in the top six, because he has 50-something games in the NHL. Now if it’s Connor Bedard or something like that, you’d find a way to squeak him in there. But he has not earned that right, and he’s not ready for that role yet. He doesn’t need that pressure.”
I’d agree with that statement that he hasn’t earned the right to play in the top six, especially with the likes of Draisaitl, Connor McDavid, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Evander Kane, Zach Hyman, and the new addition, Connor Brown, who are expected to play there. However, my prediction is that Holloway starts on the third line, but with consistent 5-on-5 play, physicality, and the ability to chip in on the scoresheet, he forces his way into the top six, with Brown dropping down to the third line.
Holloway has the hockey sense to play with the Oilers’ top players. Along with his size and skill, the next step is to put it into action on a consistent basis this season.
Holloway Will Be 2nd on the Oilers in Hits Per Game
The Oilers did not have enough cap space to re-sign former fan favourite Klim Kostin who was a physical presence up front last season and was traded to the Detroit Red Wings in the offseason. As a result, they will look internally to replace that physical element in 2023-24.
Holloway has a great opportunity in front of him to carve a niche on the team. By all accounts, he seems like an intelligent player, and he should recognize the void left by Kostin, who led the team in hits and fights last season. He shouldn’t be expected to drop the gloves, but he should be prepared to use his 6-foot-1 and 201-pound frame to hit like a madman, night in and night out.
Despite playing in only 51 games last season, Holloway was fourth in hits per game (1.62) among forwards, behind Kane (3.02), Kostin (2.75), and Jesse Puljujarvi (1.93). That said, the prediction for Holloway is that he’ll be second among forwards in hits per game this season, as it will likely be Kane leading the way in the physicality department again.
Holloway’s Goal Total Should Reach Double Digits
Holloway only scored three goals in 51 games last season, but he showed glimpses throughout the year of his potential, like when he lasered a shot off the post for his first NHL goal past former Vezina Trophy winner, Igor Shesterkin, last November.
Holloway isn’t anticipated to play on the penalty kill or on the power play, so most of his production will have to come at 5-on-5, where he faired decent in advanced metrics last season. According to Natural Stat Trick, he posted a 51.49 Corsi (CF%), 54.24 scoring chances for percentage (SCF%) and 55.90 high danger chances for percentage (HDCF%). Based on those numbers, we can conclude he was creating more chances than he was giving up at even strength and his aim this season should be to finish those chances. On that note, the prediction for him is that he’ll net between 13 and 17 goals this season.
The Oilers need Holloway to take the next step this season because he is on a cheap contract and what bodes well for them is his trend of making a significant impact in his second season across various leagues he’s played in. For example, in his second full season of junior, he jumped from 27 to 88 points in 55 games in the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) and jumped from 17 to 35 points in 23 games in the NCAA.
In a season where every contribution counts, Holloway’s skills could be the X-factor that brings the team one step closer to winning the Stanley Cup.
Where do you think Holloway is best suited to play this season? Have your say in the comments below!
