"I Just Want to Be a Part of This Group": Holl Keen to Solidify Place with Simple Defense
Through salary cap and logistical turbulence, Justin Holl looks to bring a steady defensive presence to Red Wings blue line
It's been a turbulent week for Justin Holl. On Sunday the sixth of October, as the Red Wings winnowed down to a 23-man, salary cap-compliant roster, Detroit waived the 32-year-old Minnesotan defenseman, before sending him to the Grand Rapids Griffins. Holl signed a three-year deal in the summer of 2023, but by the midpoint of last season, it had become clear that he was far from a fixture of the Red Wings' long-term plans.
Holl wasn't blind-sided by the news, but that doesn't mean it was easy to take. "You get done with pre-season, and you know there's certain things that may be out of your control," he said yesterday. "We're trying to manage the cap as best we can, so that was explained to me, and I understand that from a management perspective, but it's difficult for the player for sure. I just want to be a part of this group, and I know that I'm an NHL player, so that hurts. But at the same time, all you can do is be focused and stay ready and try to play as well as you can when you get the call." "When you're looking at it, you kinda understand that 'okay, we got a couple guys that are waiver-eligible.'...You kinda read the tea leaves a little bit, like this is possible, but it's still a little bit shocking," Holl added.
For Holl, coming to terms with the reality of the business of hockey has happened slowly over the course of his career. "Throughout the years where maybe somebody else is a cap casualty, and you're like 'oh wow, so that's what's going on,'" he explained. "You kinda understand that there's different things behind the scenes that need to be done, so I'm always learning, and, like I said, when you experience that and you see it happen, that's when you can read the tea leaves...and see this is possible."
"All I can do is just try to play as well as I can, and the rest is out of my control," he said, showing equanimity in a trying situation. "As hard as that is, that's just how you've gotta approach it." Holl spent 24 hours (enough time for one practice) in Grand Rapids before heading right back to Detroit, with an injury to Jeff Petry requiring an additional right-hand shot on the Red Wings' blue line. On Saturday, he played 18:10 (3:31 of which was spent on the penalty kill) and blocked four shots.
Holl felt good about the performance, saying Sunday afternoon, "I thought I played well. Any time you have a zero on the board for the other team, it's a good game for probably everybody on the team. Obviously, [Cam Talbot] was really good, and he helped us out. But yeah, I felt good, and it just feels good to be in there and contributing."
His coach concurred after the game Saturday night. When asked how he'd rate Holl's return to the lineup, Lalonde said, "really good, really good...We need some simple defense, and that's what he is. He's a simple defender, who wins battles. He's big. He's hard to play against. Did a really good job for us." For now, Holl's place is as a short-term injury fill-in, but if he can continue to show those simple defensive qualities, he may well play his way back into a regular role.
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