Edmonton Oilers Talk: “Right now, Holloway stands ahead of Puljujarvi.”

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Sportsnet


Oilers’ Holloway stakes claim to top-six spot with four-point night
  • we can see, is going to start his season with a third line of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins between Ryan McLeod and Warren Foegele. He’s had them together all pre-season, and they’re slowly finding some groove.
  • Nobody is saying that it is top-six or bust for Holloway, but that’s exactly what it is for the 21-year-old. He is officially in a dog fight with Jesse Puljujarvi and Kailer Yamamoto for two winger spots on Line 1 or 2.
  • …Yamamoto isn’t going anywhere, we will predict.

  • Holloway had a hat trick and four points Monday, a statement game from a kid who — like Puljujarvi — has all the physical tools. But Holloway’s toolbox contains one extra piece of hardware… 
  • “In these games, real games, you see a guy’s hockey sense. The way he reads the play, right?” said Draisaitl.
  • Holloway is lightning, an above average NHL skater at age 21. He’s Hyman-like, working to free pucks and win battles. And unlike his primary competitor, plays don’t die on his stick the way they have been with Puljujarvi.
  • Right now, Holloway stands ahead of Puljujarvi. Is the 24-year-old Finn up to the challenge? Can he dominate a game the way Holloway has this far?

BLH’s Thoughts: Man… Today’s Oilers talk radio and blogosphere is going to be the biggest “How fast can we get rid of Puljujarvi.” circle jerk… Can’t wait to check that out. How fast does Stauffer put out a poll regarding who should be in the Oilers top six to start the year on his show?… 

I’m not shocked but there might be somebody reading this who is surprised how hard Mark Spector’s dick got for Dylan Holloway after last night’s game against the Abbotsford Canucks. Not to take anything away from the young guy because I’m loving the way he’s playing too, but let’s check into Reality Hotel for a second here… The Canucks were icing a roster that was basically made of of their AHL team. Holloway SHOULD’VE dominated against this team seeing as he’s already an outstanding AHL player as it is and considering who his linemates were.

What nobody is talking about is the last time the Oilers played a team comprised of mostly NHLers was against the Flames and the former AJHL MVP was invisible… 

To be honest, I’m concerned for how hard Holloway is playing right now. I get that he wants to make the team and he’s shown to be better than every winger on the team so far, but at the same time, his in-game intensity is going to burn him out, get him hurt, or both and if the Oilers trade Puljujarvi and put all their chips on Holloway, they’re going to lose at some point because it’s an inevitability that he finds himself not performing at the same intensity down the road or performing at all.

Like it or not, Foegele has to be the odd-man out because Devin Shore can do everything McLovin’ can and for $2M cheaper PLUS he can play center. To add to that, Tyler Benson has been lights out before tonight’s injury and HE’S significantly cheaper, is more physical, and has better hands and hockey IQ. 

I know somebody out there is going to bring up Foegele’s two goals but even the players know that the game was out of hand and they were scored in garbage time. And for the record, scoring them didn’t cement his place on the third line like Spector says. They were nice goals and all but both scored with Shore and Virtanen, not McLeod and RNH. 

Now, if you were to ask me who has played better in the preseason games at training camp this year between Puljujarvi, Yamamoto, Foegele, and Holloway, I have no problems saying Holloway has been the best. It’s not even an argument. However, thrusting him into the top-six before he’s played a week against the NHL’s best defenses and goaltenders is irresponsible. 

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Beer League Hero Written by:

I'm the Beer League Hero! I am from Camrose, Alberta but I make my home in Taipei City, Taiwan. I've been through the ups and downs and the highs and the Lowes, the Bonsignores and the McDavids, the Sathers and the Eakins but I'll never leave my Oilers, no matter what! They're with me until the end and then some. GO OILERS GO!