LW Alexander Holtz - (2020, 7th, NJD)

[Lou is God]

It’s just a rookie tournament but he looked noticeably more confident than last year. Skipping the WJC to work on making the team looks like the right decision so far

I didn't watch the game but apparently his skating has improved.

 

[scoopscj]

He had some really good shots and I felt his position was excellent. Put himself in the spots to put pucks on the net. He seems faster. Hard to tell against prospects but he looked smoother, faster, more confident. Training camp and preseason games will tell us more. His shot is something special. Let's see if he can put it all together this year.

 

[My3Sons]

I didn't watch the game but apparently his skating has improved.

Some of it is actual speed but I think some of it is experience. Let’s not forget he had a great AHL season and comes to camp with much better feel for NHL style offense. The talent is definitely there. He also has that quality of wanting the puck when it matters. That was on full display last night. If he can round out his game he will be a very good scoring wing even if he likely won’t be an all star.

 

[Baaaaaaaaaaaaah]

Got his 1st.

 

[Xirik]

 

[Hockeyfrilla]

Healthy scratched often, should be sent down imo

 

[Garl]

Healthy scratched often, should be sent down imo

That's not how you spell all the time

 

[My3Sons]

That's not how you spell all the time

Plenty of NJ fans want to see him play but given the winning streak it’s not surprising that NJ hasn’t changed the lineup. Kevin Bahl is sitting around also.

 

[Forge]

Healthy scratched often, should be sent down imo

There's been some debate back and forth about that. I am a big believer in play to get better, but the truth is that he's probably not going to get better in the AHL. Everyone already knows he can play effectively in that league. Going down there and putting up a PPG doesn't really do anything for him.

If he stays up, the staff has more direct control of what he is working on, better facilities, practicing against better players.

It's really tough for me because I'm a "play to get better" guy, but I get it.

I think that once the streak comes to an end we will more likely see him in the lineup here and there to shake things up or give guys rest days

 

[Bear of Bad News]

I'm rooting for the kid - would love to see what he can do with some proper deployment this year.

 

[Baaaaaaaaaaaaah]

Holtz is better off staying up and working on his pace/footspeed, which is his major area for development. Even if that's mostly just practice time for now. Sniping on AHL'ers isn't going to teach him anything, and he already proved he can do that.

 

[Classic Devil]

I'm rooting for the kid - would love to see what he can do with some proper deployment this year.

Eventually, when we lose, Ruff will bring him into the lineup. The lineup hasn't changed once during the streak and I doubt it's going to.

Holtz is better off staying up and working on his pace/footspeed, which is his major area for development. Even if that's mostly just practice time for now. Sniping on AHL'ers isn't going to teach him anything, and he already proved he can do that.

I agree with this. Ultimately he didn't get into the lineup because he was having trouble keeping up. Him constantly practicing with the NHL team gives him something specific to aspire to.

 

[BKarchitect]

Fortunately the Devils can be patient because they have another Swedish rookie winger with a nasty shot who is already making his mark

 

[Lavar Ball]

Two goals tonight including a nice OT winner + penalty shot

 

[Xirik]

Sad to say that Holtz wouldn't have been allowed to play like that with the Devils.

Holtz would defer to Hischier and Hughes has to have the puck on his stick 90% of the time. The obvious thing would be to tell Holtz to just setup in an area and be ready for a pass but that hasn't happened and instead is made to do board battling and being a net front presence.

Holtz could be a good player but NJ and Fitz picking him at 7th OV doesn't make sense if doesn't fit the style of play he's made the Devils play.

 

[Chainshot]

Sad to say that Holtz wouldn't have been allowed to play like that with the Devils.

Holtz would defer to Hischier and Hughes has to have the puck on his stick 90% of the time. The obvious thing would be to tell Holtz to just setup in an area and be ready for a pass but that hasn't happened and instead is made to do board battling and being a net front presence.

Holtz could be a good player but NJ and Fitz picking him at 7th OV doesn't make sense if doesn't fit the style of play he's made the Devils play.

I still don't get why Lindy has such a reluctance to play Holtz. The talent is evident every time I watch him play. It may be that he has to escape to another organization to get a fresh start but man, that shot in a pro sized frame...

If I were the GM of a team starved for goals, I'd be on the phone with Fitz every day like some sort of robo-calling car warranty spammer trying to get him out of Jersey. Pat Verbeek should be sitting outside Fitz's office with a fresh cup of coffee every day until they could get a deal done.

 

[Clam Jensen]

I still don't get why Lindy has such a reluctance to play Holtz. The talent is evident every time I watch him play. It may be that he has to escape to another organization to get a fresh start but man, that shot in a pro sized frame...

If I were the GM of a team starved for goals, I'd be on the phone with Fitz every day like some sort of robo-calling car warranty spammer trying to get him out of Jersey. Pat Verbeek should be sitting outside Fitz's office with a fresh cup of coffee every day until they could get a deal done.

I think their plan is to let him get playing time in the A to work on his 2-way game, and then he’ll fight for a top-9 spot in camp next year.

 

[Chainshot]

I think their plan is to let him get playing time in the A to work on his 2-way game, and then he’ll fight for a top-9 spot in camp next year.

Makes sense. Having seen a ton of Utica over the last few years, I continue to remain in awe and somewhat jealous of the Devils ability to identify, draft, and develop talent.

 

[Clam Jensen]

Makes sense. Having seen a ton of Utica over the last few years, I continue to remain in awe and somewhat jealous of the Devils ability to identify, draft, and develop talent.

Trust me it’s a breath of fresh air after how shit we’ve been for years lol

 

[theslatcher]

I think their plan is to let him get playing time in the A to work on his 2-way game, and then he’ll fight for a top-9 spot in camp next year.

If that was their plan you'd think Holtz wouldn't spend half a season in the press box.

 

[Oneiro]

If that was their plan you'd think Holtz wouldn't spend half a season in the press box.

Fitzgerald publicly admitted that Holtz was a “victim of their success” and that lineups don’t change when you’re on a 15 game winning streak. He admitted that he probably should’ve recognized that sooner and sent Holtz back down.

There has been an organizational focus on taking things slower with prospects - a guy like Boqvist has been integrated over the course of three seasons, gradually playing more and more until right now he’s on the brink of owning a spot. Mercer is an exception but he was always a far more polished pro style player than Holtz or anyone else.

 

[swiiscompos]

They are definitely trying to develop his two way game. The Utica coach even said so after last game, he mentioned that Holtz was making some defensive mistakes that would not be acceptable at the NHL level. Offense is not the issue, and my guess is that it was not NJ’s focus when they inserted him in the lineup.

 

[Jersey Fan 12]

I still don't get why Lindy has such a reluctance to play Holtz. The talent is evident every time I watch him play. It may be that he has to escape to another organization to get a fresh start but man, that shot in a pro sized frame...

If I were the GM of a team starved for goals, I'd be on the phone with Fitz every day like some sort of robo-calling car warranty spammer trying to get him out of Jersey. Pat Verbeek should be sitting outside Fitz's office with a fresh cup of coffee every day until they could get a deal done.

I'd suggest it's because physically and tactically he's not ready yet.

Much like his former teammate William Eklund with the Sharks, he is being brought along gradually and that seems to be the right course.

With the depth the Devils have, and the success the team is enjoying, New Jersey can afford to let him develop at the proper pace.

Some can look at the way some Devils were brought up too soon in the past (Zacha, Bratt, Hughes for example) and see how the development of their all-around game was hampered.

 

[Clam Jensen]

If that was their plan you'd think Holtz wouldn't spend half a season in the press box.

They admitted more or less that the situation wasn’t ideal. They didn’t expect to be this good this fast, and there wasn’t an opportunity to let Holtz figure it out in the NHL.

 

[Lavar Ball]