Over the last couple of games Dylan Holloway has played well since getting called up Holloway has played 4 games with the Edmonton Oilers. With him in the lineup, the Oilers have a record of 2-1-1. The first game was a win against the Golden Knights, then an OT loss to the Coyotes, followed by a loss the Vancouver, and finally finished with the 9-2 game last night against the Sharks.
In the 4 games, Holloway has put up 2 goals and 2 assists. He scored a goal in the win over Vegas and he got a goal and 2 assists in the game against the San Jose Sharks. With his type of production, he has made it tough for the Oilers coaching staff not to put him in the lineup on the opening night of the playoffs.
The thing about Holloway that hurts his chances of being on the opening day roster is the fact that he is a top 9 player only, he does not have the assets for a 4th line role. He doesn’t kill penalties and he isn’t going to produce with the small amount of ice time that the 4th line would get.
So why is that a problem for Holloway? Holloway has been in the lineup for the last 4 games cause he was replacing the spot of a top 9 forward. For the first three games Connor McDavid was out with an injury, then against the Sharks Evander Kane was out of the lineup. For Holloway to crack the lineup someone in the top 9 needs to be taken out of the lineup.
Who Would Dylan Holloway Need To Replace To Play?
As it sits right now with a healthy top 9 there is no one that I would take out to just put Holloway in the lineup on the first night of the playoffs. Here is a list of the Edmonton Oilers top 9. Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Zach Hyman, Adam Henrique, Warren Foegele, Ryan McLeod, Corey Perry and Evander Kane.
When you take a look at that list there is just no one that I would take out to put Dylan Holloway in. What this does do is it make it if one of those players does get injured that if you need to put in Holloway you now will have the confidence to do so.
The fact that Holloway isn’t going to be on the opening roster for the Oilers isn’t something that he should get frustrated with. It should motivate him to try and stay focused while the playoff run is ongoing, cause if he does get in a game he needs to prove that it isn’t a mistake to have him in that lineup.