Dylan Holloway will be one of the most intriguing players to follow this season. Will he start the year with the Edmonton Oilers, or in the AHL? If he starts in the NHL, will he be on the third line, or will he find a way to jump into the top six? At 20 years of age, Holloway could matter either very little or a great deal next season; that is the joy of tracking young prospects who are preparing to start their career in the NHL.

Last season, Holloway's first pro career began on a tough note as the forward missed the first three months of the season, due to needing a second wrist surgery after his first, from back in 2021 with the University of Wisconsin didn't fully heal. Prior to this news, many expected, and in fact the Oilers organization also telegraphed that they felt the then 19 year old had the tools to make an impact in the NHL. Instead, Holloway spent the first half of the season on the sidelines and once he was healed, the team made the right call by keeping him in the AHL.

In his first pro year, Holloway went 8-14-22 in 33 games and 2-2-4 in 5 playoff games. Looking just at numbers, one might hope for higher offensive output from the 14th overall pick in 2020 but there should not be any cause for concern. All the reasons Holloway was drafted; his aggressive nature, speed, always being active around the puck, and his playmaking ability at top speed were all regularly on display in the AHL. Recovering from a major surgery at such a young age is a tough obstacle to overcome but Holloway and his development now look right on track.

Which leads us to this season. What makes Holloway different than McLeod and Broberg is that there is not a guaranteed roster spot available to him at this time. Here is the Oilers forward core as it stands; lineups are a rough mockup:

Kane-McDavid-Puljujarvi
Hyman-Draisaitl-Yamamoto
RNH-McLeod-Ryan
Foegele-Janmark-Shore

There are a few spots that I could see Holloway fitting into. First off, Holloway is actually a natural centre, though in his pro career thus far he has been utilized as a winger. While a left shot, Holloway has played either side, making him a very versatile player for this team.

The most likely scenario, should Holloway make the team out of training camp, would be to shelter him on the third line, putting him with talented linemates and encouraging his offensive instincts, while still sheltering him from top competition.

Kane-McDavid-Puljujarvi
RNH-Draisaitl-Hyman
Holloway-McLeod-Yamamoto
Foegele-Janmark-Ryan

In this situation, the right wingers in Puljujarvi, Hyman, and Yamamoto could all be fairly fluid. If the third line needs a more defensive bump, Puljujarvi or Hyman could be slotted in over Yamamoto. McLeod and Holloway both play the game at high speed and feel like they could form some natural chemistry.

In a best case scenario, Holloway not only comes into camp and earns a spot, but finds some real chemistry in the top six, adding another threat to the top six. In terms of comparables, Holloway could end up looking like a former Oiler in Taylor Hall. Like Hall, Holloway is an aggressive winger, who plays a reckless style (a good and bad quality) and is great at controlling entries into the offensive end. Much of the Oilers top six offensive starts with Draisaitl or McDavid and the opposition knows that and adjusts accordingly. Holloway at his best could become another puck transporter that causes defenders to have to pause, not knowing who to cover. That lineup could look like this:

Kane-McDavid-Puljujarvi
Holloway-Draisaitl-Hyman
RNH-McLeod-Yamamoto
Foegele-Janmark-Ryan

Holloway and Draisaitl look like they could be an excellent duo moving forward. Draisaitl in a recent interview discussed how his leg injury in the playoffs made him realize that sometimes he doesn't need to try and do so much while he is on the ice. In the past we have watched Draisaitl try and dangle his way around three players by himself; sometimes to great success but many times leading to unforced turnovers. Working with Holloway, Draisaitl could let his winger take charge of the zone entries while he works into his position to take his scoring opportunities.

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What are reasonable expectations for Dylan Holloway? Depending on his usage, those numbers could very. If Holloway became a regular fixture in the top six in his first season, a 16-24-40 point season would be phenomenal for the rookie. Alternatively, as a regular third liner, a 9-16-25 point season would still be a solid first showing for the player, particularly since he will most likely not see any PP time.

Point totals are something we can discuss more into training camp after we see where he ends up in Woodcroft's lineup. As of today, Holloway is the biggest variable for evaluating the Oilers forward core this coming season. High end teams have a steady supply of young talent on ELC deals entering their lineup and with Holloway and Broberg along with futures like Bourgault, Schaefer, Savoie, Tulio and more there could be a steady influx on the way.

Thanks for reading.

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