Yamamoto's Departure Presents Golden Opportunity for Oilers' Top Prospect Holloway

Kailer Yamamoto being traded from the Edmonton Oilers gives one of the organizations top prospects a chance at cracking the top-six.

Oilers could put one of Connor Brown, Warren Foegele or Dylan Holloway into the top-6 spot vacated by Kailer Yamamoto.

The big acquisition for the Edmonton Oilers this off-season has been Connor Brown. His penalty kill prowess and secondary scoring are welcomed additions to this Pacific Division team trying to secure a Stanley Cup Final placement.

He will more than likely play in the team's top-six, lining up with one of Leon Draisaitl or Connor McDavid. Another member of the team should be considered for a spot in the top half of the lineup, Dylan Holloway. Holloway is ready for more NHL minutes and will succeed where Kailer Yamamoto didn't.

Holloway's Road To the NHL

Holloway was playing NCAA hockey in his draft year. This is a great first step for a prospect given that the majority of NCAA players are between 18 & 22-years old. This can fast-track prospects into the NHL because of the more difficult competition that they are facing.

His next year post draft (D+1 as prospect experts refer to it) he played NCAA hockey again. His point totals jumped from 17 to 35. The fact that he played 12 less games makes it more remarkable. He spent the 2021-22 season with the Oilers' AHL affiliate the Bakersfield Condors. With 22 points in 33 games he proved he belonged.

Holloway Will Succeed Where Yamamoto Failed

Holloway is more physically ready for the NHL than Yamamoto was at the same point in his development. I'm not referring to size here, but to the differences in playing more difficult competition earlier in their career and finding success. Yamamoto was bounced back and forth between the AHL and NHL for two straight years.

Yamamoto played 50 AHL games and collected 34 points. Holloway has only played 45 games with 32 points gathered. So far in his 51-game NHL career Holloway has only averaged 9:35 of time on ice per game. Yamamoto played 53 games over his first three seasons in the NHL (including his nine game stint the year he was drafted). He averaged 12:53, 13:04, and 17:23 across those three seasons.

It's time to give Holloway the minutes that were given to Yamamoto and watch him flourish. He's played against tougher competition his whole career, and has proven himself ready for this golden opportunity. The wing positions are crowded heading into the 2023-24, but Holloway is ready to spread his wings and fly.