The New Jersey Devils have been selecting high in the first round of the past few drafts due to them being a rebuilding team. After the success they had during the 2022-23 season, it seems it’s time for them to move out of the rebuilding phase. With them having a bunch of free agents who might not come back next season, this leaves plenty of vacancies in their lineup. One player who can take the next step toward becoming a full-time NHL player next season is Alexander Holtz. The Devils drafted him seventh overall in the 2020 NHL Draft. He has had a few short stints with the team but hasn’t stuck with them for long before being sent back down to the American Hockey League (AHL). As next season approaches, the Devils’ coaches should look to give him a full-time role in the NHL so they can see what he can provide for them.
Proven AHL Scorer
For the past two seasons, Holtz has split time between the Devils and their AHL affiliate, the Utica Comets. In his first season in the AHL, he was a dominant scorer, recording 26 goals and 51 points in 52 games. He followed it up with six goals and 11 points in 16 games played. This drop-off was due to him getting more NHL time this past season, but it also was due to him being scratched as well with the Devils. His AHL track record proves that he can be an elite scorer at that level. The next logical step is for him to get more time in the NHL to see if his offense can be just as good in the best and most competitive league in the world.
The Devils’ top-six last season featured players like Erik Haula and Tomas Tatar. While they are quality players, they should not be near any team’s top-six. If Holtz can get the chance to play on the wing of either Jack Hughes or Nico Hischier, he will have a greater chance of replicating his AHL scoring at the NHL level. He would be playing with some of the best players in the league and if he can thrive with them, the Devils will have gained another offensive weapon for their already deadly collection.
Let Holtz Sink Or Swim
Many of the players that were drafted in 2020 have already played hundreds of games in the NHL. Out of the top ten, only Holtz and Marco Rossi of the Minnesota Wild have played less than 50 games at the NHL level. Even players that were drafted after Holtz have played more games and have become key contributors for their teams like Anton Lundell of the Florida Panthers. Other players in the top ten have become core players for their teams like Tim Stutzle and Lucas Raymond. The Devils should look at those players and what they have done and realize that they could have the same success if they give Holtz that same opportunity. Give him the top-six minutes for a long period of time and see what he can accomplish.
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If he can thrive in that position, then the Devils know they have another great piece to build around. If he struggles, they can let him play lower down in the lineup or if the opportunity arises, package him in a trade for another big addition. With the future uncertain for many of the Devils’ pending unrestricted free-agent forwards and with a player like Yegor Sharangovich possibly getting moved, this leaves plenty of holes to fill in the top of the Devils’ lineup. They have Holtz under contract for another two seasons on his entry-level deal and while they don’t really have to worry about cap space, every team needs guys like Holtz who are cheap and can provide offense. If none of the unrestricted free agents sign back, they really have no excuse as to why he shouldn’t get an opportunity.
Still Room to Improve
Holtz is still only 21 years old and this gives him plenty of time to grow into a great player for the Devils. In this day and age, fans like to give up on players who were drafted high by the time they are 21 or 22 years old. They want to give up because they haven’t become superstars yet. However, it takes each player a different amount of years to find their game. Just because a player who’s 21 now isn’t a great player doesn’t mean he won’t be one by 25. The Devils could have themselves a hidden gem in Holtz. He has proven that he can score and he still has room to improve his game.
Holtz fits in the current age group of the core of the Devils and he can learn from them after the success they had last season. He can learn what it takes to play at this level and become an elite player in the NHL. In the coming years, the Devils could have a three-headed monster led by the three players whose last names start with the letter H; Hughes, Hischier, and Holtz. If he can learn from them and become a young sniper for this team, the future will be looking very bright at Prudential Center.
