Pucks and Pitchforks
Fansided

3 New Jersey Devils Who Have a Lot to Prove in 2023-24

By Marci Rubin

NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - MAY 07: Vitek Vanecek #41 of the New Jersey Devils is congratulated by teammates Dawson Mercer #91,Ondrej Palat #18 and Jesper Bratt #63 after the win over the Carolina Hurricanes in Game Three of the Second Round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Prudential Center on May 07, 2023 in Newark, New Jersey. The New Jersey Devils defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 8-4. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - MAY 07: Vitek Vanecek #41 of the New Jersey Devils is congratulated by teammates Dawson Mercer #91,Ondrej Palat #18 and Jesper Bratt #63 after the win over the Carolina Hurricanes in Game Three of the Second Round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Prudential Center on May 07, 2023 in Newark, New Jersey. The New Jersey Devils defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 8-4. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 3
Next
New Jersey Devils
New Jersey Devils right wing Alexander Holtz (10): Catalina Fragoso-USA TODAY Sports /

2. Alexander Holtz

Winger Alexander Holtz is a young player with a lot to prove. Holtz ended up being a non-factor in a season where the Devils had so much regular season success and got their first taste of winning a playoff series in over a decade. This is surprising, considering he once seemed primed to claim a spot in the lineup as a top-six forward.

A seventh-overall draft pick in 2020, Holtz was expected to get more experience in the NHL this season. Despite high hopes following a strong preseason, Holtz failed to impress during the regular season. He shuffled around from line to line as head coach Lindy Ruff tried to find the right combination, but Holtz never found a groove.

Holtz played in just nine NHL games in 2021-22 and 19 games in 2022-23. The rest of his time was spent in the AHL or sitting in the press box as a healthy scratch. In 2021-22, he had zero goals and two assists in nine games. In 2022-23, Holtz scored three goals, contributed just one assist, and had a -6 +/- over 19 games. Across 28 NHL games overall, he has a -11 +/-. These stats aren’t what the Devils envisioned from him, although there were glimpses of his potential sprinkled throughout his time in the lineup.

It’s worth noting that Holtz has seen success in the AHL. He only played 14 games there this season, and he tallied 11 points including six goals. Last season, in 52 games with the Utica Comets, Holtz scored 26 goals and contributed 25 assists, totaling 51 points. He couldn’t carry that success up to the NHL level, unfortunately. He struggles to keep up with the pace of play and needs to sharpen his awareness of the game. He can’t play on Jack Hughes’ or Nico Hischier’s wing if he can’t keep up with them.

At 21 years old, Holtz is still young enough that he has time to continue developing. Every player develops at their own speed, and plenty of players in the NHL didn’t have their breakout until they were a few years older than Holtz is now. He is not out of chances or time with the NHL. But fans are wondering what the Devils’ plan is for Holtz. He missed out on a lot of ice time by being healthy scratched in the NHL instead of continuing to develop his play in the AHL.

Holtz’s next opportunity in the NHL with the Devils may be his last shot with this team. If he can take off and have a breakout year, he could factor into the Devils’ big picture moving forward. If not, Holtz might end up with a change of scenery. Holtz’s task is to prove he belongs in New Jersey.

Home/Editorials