Alexander Holtz has been proving that the New Jersey Devils made the right choice with their seventh-overall pick so far. He is currently dominating the Swedish Hockey League early on in the season.
In six games, Holtz scored three goals and two assists. It shows that Holtz does have good playmaking abilities in addition to his lethal shot. Surprisingly, he produced four of those five points in the games after he got drafted. It all started when he scored an impressive goal in his first game after when he got drafted by the Devils. To make things more impressive, he is currently the points leader for his team, Djurgården, and all junior players in the SHL. He is playing on top-line minutes and his linemates with former Devils player Jacob Josefson. This is giving Holtz his opportunity to shine and improve his overall game.
This feat is impressive because Holtz is 18 years old and is still new to playing with men. On top of that, Holtz’s team is struggling. Djurgården is currently the worst team in the league. It would be nice for Holtz’s team to be more successful in the league, it gives Holtz a huge role which can help develop.
Overall, Holtz’s early individual success shows a glimpse of what he can bring to the Devils. Even though it is still very early in the season, it is a huge sign of good things to come. I hope Holtz continues to thrive and improve. He could surprise a lot of people when he comes to the NHL.
What do you think of Holtz’s start of the season? Is this sign of him beginning to unleash his potential? Do you think he can keep this production up? Please leave a comment below and let’s get a discussion going.