Dylan Holloway Has Earned Bigger Role

Caleb Kerney

Apr 25, 2024, 13:14

Caleb Kerney

Apr 25, 2024, 13:14

Since his call up to the Edmonton Oilers Dylan Holloway has proven that he is ready to handle more minutes.

EDMONTON -- Game two should have held a better result for the Edmonton Oilers.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-0QpsL3kYY[/embed]

They came out of the first period with the Los Angeles Kings licking their wounds with a 3-1 score. They battled and clawed their way back into it to come out of the middle frame tied at three a piece.

The Kings got more lucky bounces - and the Kings got better goaltending. Both things can be, and are, true.

The focus turns to game three in California, where the Oilers will look to take back the momentum in the series. While the forward group wasn't bad by any stretch, one player has made it impossible to ignore his impact and should be granted more time on ice as a result.

Dylan Holloway has been electric. He's playing physical, he's driving pucks to the net, and maintaining possession in the offensive zone. Holloway also possesses an incredible shot.

Here he flashed his incredible wrist shot over the glove of Cam Talbot. That was Holloway's second goal of the night. There is a legitimate argument to be made that he was the Oilers best player by a decent margin.

The kid has only played 9:44 in Game one and 9:42 in Game two. It's time to play him more.

They need to insert him into the top six while the team is on the road. I expect that the forward lines will get shuffled for games three and four. If that's the case there is no valid argument for keeping him on the team's fourth line.

A line of Leon Draisaitl, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Holloway could be an excellent second line for the Oilers. The team is holding a practice in California later today. We will see what Kris Knoblauch thought of the performance the day after - but there is no denying that he has earned a legitimate shot.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tcl_Xc_acc[/embed]

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