Oilers call up Holloway from AHL ahead of important final stretch
The Edmonton Oilers have called up forward Dylan Holloway from the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors.
This ends a 14-game stint with the AHL after the Oilers sent him down last month before the NHL trade deadline. The results down in the minors have been encouraging, as Holloway recently scored his first hat trick in professional hockey with the Condors in a four-point effort against the Calgary Wranglers over the weekend.
All three goals showcased Holloway’s offensive chops, something the Oilers hope he can put together before the playoffs arrive in a few weeks.
🔁 #Oilers roster move 🔁
Forward Dylan Holloway has been recalled from the @Condors.#LetsGoOilers
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) April 9, 2024
It’s not yet clear whether or not Holloway will be in the lineup for tomorrow night’s battle with the Vegas Golden Knights. If he does crack the lineup, it will be interesting to see where Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch slots the 22-year-old.
There is no doubt that Holloway has all the tools to be an effective middle-six scorer in the NHL, but he has not realized that potential yet. So far this season, he has just three goals and four points in 32 games with the Oilers.
The Oilers’ second line has been a revolving door of late on the wings with all of Adam Henrique, Warren Foegele, and Corey Perry getting reps. If the Oilers want to experiment, perhaps they slot Holloway onto that line alongside Leon Draisaitl to see if there is any chemistry. If something does click, this will allow the team to keep Warren Foegele on the third line alongside Ryan McLeod and bump Corey Perry to the fourth line to give the team some depth throughout the lineup.
It would also give Knoblauch the luxury of picking between three players to play on a nightly basis: Connor Brown, Sam Carrick, and Derek Ryan.
We’ll see what Knoblauch has up his sleeve after Oilers practice at Rogers Place this morning.