RW Mitch Holmberg - Spokane Chiefs, WHL (2011 undrafted)

[caley]

There's a couple overage Junior players setting fire to the stats boards every year. Ask Colton Yellow Horn, Justin Azevedo, Casey Pierro-Zabotel, and Thomas Beauregard how their NHL dreams shook out at the end of the day.

Oh there's guys every year, I know that. But, I also think Holmberg's a little different case: Azevdeo had future NHLers like Boedker, Kadri and Spaling on his team that helped him along, Yellow Horn had teammates with 70 and 80 points, and Beauregard relied on linemate Mathieu Perreault. What Holmberg's doing, is largely on his own, creating his own chances (His nearest teammate is over 30 points behind him).

He's getting good coaching (The same as Johnson did in juniors), and has a clear role model to follow in his quest to make the NHL (Johnson). Never minding all that, I also think he's a very exciting player: skilled with the puck, unafraid of taking contact and some really great on-ice vision. I think he's worth a risk.

 

[n00bxQb]

First chance I got to see Holmberg in person with his WHL team tonight and I noticed something I found really bizarre. I was sitting right beside the visitor's entrance to the ice. At the beginning of each period, as the players are stepping out onto the ice, the equipment manager fist bumped every single player on the Chiefs ... except Holmberg. As the game went to OT, I witnessed this happen 4 times and literally every player except Holmberg. They didn't even make eye contact with each other. Equipment manager would just look past him to the player behind him and Holmberg would look the other way as he stepped onto the ice.

Struck me as very odd. Anyone know what the deal with that is?

 

[rasarhdasd]

He signed an ATO with OKC (EDM's AHL affiliate) and I think they have/will sign him for next year.

 

[HeavyHitter99]

Very happy the Oilers signed him (OKC ATO). Low risk, high reward!

 

[McDNicks17]

He signed an AHL contract with OKC for next season too.