Oilers’ Dylan Holloway is starting to look like the top-six player the team needed

Additionally, one significant detail that may have gone unnoticed is that on Evan Bouchard’s game-winning goal with 38 seconds left on the clock, despite not being credited with a point on the play, Holloway contributed to it by finding open space to present himself as a shooting threat, which lured Nikita Zadorov to him, thereby opening the lane for the puck to be passed to Bouchard.

Many Oilers struggled in Game 5, but Holloway was once again effective in his top-six role. His line scored a goal when Kane buried one early off a Draisaitl pass. Once again, he wasn’t credited with a point on the play, but what started the play was Holloway breaking up the Canucks’ potential attack at center ice, and the young Oiler carried the puck into the zone for the play to develop. Moreover, he made excellent defensive efforts that game, including breaking up passes in the slot and blocking two big point shots.

Fast forward to Game 6 and Holloway was finally rewarded for his hard work. He received a pass from Draisaitl, zipped past notable players in Elias Pettersson, Quinn Hughes and Filip Hronek and scored a wonderful tally that electrified Rogers Place.

Holloway’s Had Some Interesting Encounters With Canucks in His Young Career

Holloway will likely forever remember his huge Game 6 goal against the Canucks and interestingly in his very short NHL career, he’s had some intriguing moments against them.

Dating back to 2022, Holloway was the talk of the preseason when he scored a hat trick against the Canucks on Oct. 3, 2022, and due to his offensive output, he earned his very first shot in the top six alongside Draisaitl to start the 2022-23 campaign.

Coincidentally, the Oilers opened that season against Vancouver on Oct. 12, 2022, and Holloway had his first ‘Welcome to the NHL’ moment on his first shift, just two minutes into the game. He received the puck in the defensive zone and tried to thread a pass to Draisaitl, but instead, put it right on Pettersson’s tape, who then buried it.

Holloway was promptly removed from the top six after that error, signalling the beginning of a period of ups and downs for the young forward. He dealt with injuries, went back and forth from the NHL to minors, battled for playing time and just recently received an extended opportunity again in the top six.

Fast forward almost 20 months later, and he went from coughing up the puck to Pettersson in the first game of the season in 2022 to zipping past him and scoring a big Game 6 goal, likely the biggest tally of his young career, in an elimination game in the playoffs. Hockey sure has some interesting turns, doesn’t it?

Adding Holloway to Oilers’ Top Six Forms a Fast, Big and Physical Line

Holloway is blessed with size and speed, but it now appears he’s processing the game very well, and his elevated play makes the second line stronger, potentially turning the top six into a constant scoring threat, which bodes very well for the Oilers in Game 7.

The second line of Holloway, Draisaitl and Kane has produced 4GF and only 1GA at 5v5 in the three games they’ve played together. They offer a different dynamic than the first line, as they’re not only fast but also big and physical, with Kane (41 hits) and Holloway (32 hits) being the team’s top players in hits in the playoffs.

No matter what happens in these playoffs, despite being a small sample size of only three games, one takeaway will be Holloway’s growth in showing he can excel in the top six, and this line might even be a fixture beyond the postseason. That said, the young Oiler shared his insights about the support he received from his linemate in his bumpy journey, saying after Game 6:

“If you told me when I got sent down I’d be where I am right now, I wouldn’t really believe you. Kaner’s been great to me. He just told me to keep my head up high, learn as much as I can, and he said he’ll see me soon. In a sense, I guess he was right and it’s pretty cool playing on his line with him and Leo.”

Before the start of the series against the Canucks, I mentioned that a confident Holloway would be an X-factor in the second-round series. While he may not have accomplished enough on the scoresheet to be given that title, one thing’s for sure, he’s emerged as a difference-maker, something the Oilers desperately needed.

With that in mind, what are your thoughts on Holloway since he’s been promoted to the top six?