Oilers coach Knoblauch gives surprising promotion to rookie forward
In the last few games, the second line right wing slot for the Oilers has seen quite a few candidates try out. Warren Foegele and Corey Perry have had the most recent tries on Draisaitl's wing, and now, it looks like there'll be a new face on the second line. For tonight's game against the St. Louis Blues, Oilers coach Knoblauch is promoting Dylan Holloway to the second line.
There's plenty of reasons for Knoblauch to try Holloway in the top-six. It's a reward for his recent quality play, adds an element of speed to the slower linemates, and gets another look on the second line to see if the team needs to make a trade to improve that position at the deadline.
At just 22 years old and the 14th overall draft pick by the team in 2020, the Oilers have high hopes for Holloway and perhaps believe he can be the solution in the top six. He's yet to fully unlock his offensive potential with lesser minutes, but has dominated the AHL and has been starting to produce more with the Oilers, even scoring a goal last game.
It's a great move by Knoblauch to give the rookie a bit more responsibility, and to give the organization a look at what their strengths and weaknesses are heading into the trade deadline. Who knows? Maybe Holloway can develop some chemistry with Draisaitl and be a fixture there for years to come.
| POLL | ||
Will Holloway stick on the second line? | ||
| Yes, he just needed the opportunity | 149 | 37.9 % |
| No, the Oilers will trade for a forward | 83 | 21.1 % |
| Not yet, but he's a future top six forward | 140 | 35.6 % |
| See Results | 21 | 5.3 % |
| List of polls | ||
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