October 4, 2022 by Eric Friesen

If anyone still questioned whether or not Dylan Holloway was ready to play in the NHL, he just answered them.

After a strong showing at the 2022 Young Stars Classic and through the pre-season thus far, Holloway was elevated to the second line alongside Leon Draisaitl and Zach Hyman. Holloway scored a natural hat-trick, including the game-winning goal, and added an assist to power the Edmonton Oilers to a 7-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Place on Monday.

While Holloway took home first-star honours, he was quick to credit his linemates for their part in the win.

“It felt really good,” said Holloway following the win on Monday. “It was kind of one of those nights where everything seemed to go right. I mean, I owe a lot to my linemates. I was playing with two pretty good players there in [Draisaitl] and [Hyman]. So, I thought we played well, and it was good to get the win.”

Among the group of players competing for a spot on the team this fall, Holloway has stood out above the rest thanks to his obvious talent and solid two-way play. Holloway leads the Oilers in pre-season scoring with four goals and six points in four games, which is somewhat attributed to most of the team’s top-six forwards only playing in two exhibition games to this point.

Still, Holloway has outplayed a number of wingers that have a spot on the team secured, which only increases the likelihood that he will be staying in Edmonton with the big club. Head Coach Jay Woodcroft praised Holloway for his strong performance, but he also insists that this is just one step towards his goal of being in the Oilers opening-night lineup on October 12th.

Related: Top prospect Dylan Holloway skates with Oilers for first time since wrist surgery

“He had a heck of a game tonight,” said Woodcroft in his post-game presser on Oilers TV on Monday. “I thought that line with Draisaitl, Hyman and [Holloway] was the best line on the ice. They controlled the puck and they didn’t give up a ton against. That was a good game for [Holloway]. He’s got to feel good about it. He’s going to enjoy it, and he knows tomorrow is the next battle.

The Bragg Creek, Alberta native made his NHL debut in Game 4 of the Western Conference Final, replacing Evander Kane who was serving a one-game suspension for a hit-from-behind. Though he played less than four minutes in the game, that small taste of NHL action appears to have given him extra motivation to never play another game in the minors.

Holloway brings an excellent blend of vision, speed, size and puck skills that should eventually land him on a scoring line alongside either Connor McDavid, or Draisaitl. But even though he has the potential to be a top-six forward, it doesn’t mean he needs to be thrust into that role as a raw rookie.

I believe Holloway has shown well enough to make the Oilers out of camp, where he could fit in well on a big, fast and skilled third line with Ryan McLeod and Jesse Puljujarvi. This is just the start for a player who should be valuable member of the Oilers for the next decade or longer.