At this point, everyone that follows the NHL is well aware of the infamous 2024 move in which Doug Armstrong acquired Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway from the Edmonton Oilers via offersheets. In the two years since this, these two young stars have continued to impress the organization and its fans time and time again. At this point, talking about how good they have become and how high their ceiling is would be preaching to the choir - everyone in St. Louis knows just how dynamic both Broberg and Holloway are and how vital they are to the team's success both now and in the future.
A huge offseason announcement
All that said, it would be impossible not to discuss the latest news regarding these developing stars and how it impacts the future of this organization. On Wednesday, the Blues announced their leadership group for the 2026-2027 season. The big headline was of course Robert Thomas being promoted to Captain, and he will be wearing the C for the Blues for the foreseeable future. This is a well deserved honor, but we shouldn't ignore the four Alternate Captains that were also part of the announcement. The Blues named Colton Parayko, Jake Neighbours, Philip Broberg, and Dylan Holloway as the players that will don the "A" this year.
What does Broberg provide?
Philip Broberg has been the most consistent, high performing defenseman on the Blues since he joined the team. Everyone knows just how valuable he is on the ice, it's his contribution to the team in the licker room that may be news for some. Jim Montgomery has consistently praised Broberg's voice in the locker room and his lead by example approach during games.
Another thing to consider with Broberg's "promotion" is the fact that he could prove to be a hugely valuable leader specifically for the many Swedish players in the Blues locker room and in their minor league pipeline. Berggren, Stenberg, and Lindstein are just a few that have already been with the team on the NHL level and there are multiple other prospects lined up to make the jump in the coming seasons. Having a Swede who possesses the characteristsics of Broberg will likely help to expedite these players' development and ease the transition for them from the AHL to a full time NHL position.
What can Holloway bring to the table?
Dylan Holloway is the kind of player every fan of every team in the league prays for. He is incredibly skilled and uses every ounce of that skill to do incredible things with the puck offensively, either creating great opportunities for teammates or putting the puck in the back of the net himself. It would be easy to rely on that skill, and most players in the league do so while still putting in a respectable amount of effort and hustle. What sets Holloway apart is his absolute ferocity when on the ice. He is always giving 110% of himself every single shift which is a huge part of why he's seen so much success on the stat sheet. Dylan Holloway is best described as a guy with the skill of a top line star skill and the hustle of a fourth line grinder. He is truly the best of both worlds.
That edge can show up in other ways, too. Despite not being known as an enforcer or a guy that is eager to fight, he has shown time and time again in the last two seasons that when the time calls for it he will always set up to the plate to defend his teammates. Any time there is extra pushing or shoving after a whistle, you can bet that if Holloway was on the ice, he'll be in the middle of the extra curriculars immediately. He's not a great fighter, but that will never stop Dylan Holloway from answering the bell to stand up for himself and his teammates. When you draw up the archetype for a perfect young leader on a developing hockey team, Dylan Holloway is exactly that.
It's clear that Holloway and Broberg have and will continue to show their value to this org and Blues fans should consider themselves incredibly lucky that they are committed to this team for the long haul.
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