When Dylan Holloway signed an offer sheet with the St. Louis Blues last summer, it was seen as a swing on a player with high pedigree for merely a 3rd-round pick. Expectations were reasonable, but nothing prepared us for the season that was to come.
Drafted 14th overall by the Edmonton Oilers in 2020, Holloway was not getting the minutes he needed as a young player on an Oilers team with designs on a Stanley Cup--he was often a healthy scratch or playing near the bottom of the lineup. This opportunity with the Blues represented a fresh start; a chance for Holloway to bet on himself and prove he deserves to be at the top of the lineup.
Well, mission accomplished. In 77 games before an injury ended his season, Holloway scored 26 goals and 63 points while averaging 16:49 a game--all career highs. By the fancy stats, Holloway has always been a plus contributor at 5-on-5 with a career average 54.07 Corsi-for percentage (CF%) and a 54.15 expected Goals-for percentage (xGF%), per Natural Stat Trick. Despite the dramatic increase in ice time in St. Louis, he maintained that level of play driving, posting a 51.55 CF% and 53.35 xGF% at 5-on-5 through the 2024-25 season.
The only disappointing part of Holloway's season was missing the playoffs. The Blues absolutely could've used him against the Winnipeg Jets in the first round, and had Holloway been good to go, perhaps he would've been enough to swing the series in St. Louis's favor. The Edmonton Oilers probably could've used his scoring depth against the Florida Panthers, too, but that's another story.
No use overthinking the past, though, as it's now time to look to the future--and Holloway's is certainly bright. Holloway will be 24 years old at the start of next season, and in the last year of the two-year bridge deal he signed. He's almost certainly cemented himself as a core part of the next great Blues team, and a repeat of last year's success should earn him quite the contract. Expectations are high, and Holloway has every tool at his disposal to meet--and possibly surpass, again--those expectations, especially considering the forward help GM Doug Armstrong brought in via free agency. The Holloway hype is real, and he has shown he deserves it.