After signing a three-year entry level contract with the Edmonton Oilers on Friday, Dylan Holloway was thinking about one of the people who helped him become a top prospect.
“I might buy my dad a new fly rod. He’s a big fly fisher,” Holloway said.
Holloway, 19, was taken 14th overall in the October draft and has spent the last two seasons at the University of Wisconsin. In 2020/21, he had 35 points in 23 games and was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Trophy as the top player in the NCAA.
He played for Canada at the 2021 World Junior Championship in Edmonton, recording two points in six games.
“I thought the year went really good. I thought I progressed really well as a player,” said Holloway.
“I tried to take what I learned from World Juniors into the second half of the year. That’s when I thought I was improving a lot.
“I was a little more comfortable on the ice with the pace of the NCAA level.”
He played the final two games of the season with a broken thumb, suffered on March 15. Wisconsin’s season ended March 16. He had surgery on the thumb a few days later.
“It’s not at 100 per cent quite yet. My plan for right now is to stay in Madison to do therapy on it and work out as much as I can,” he explained.
“My estimated time is four weeks until I’ll be able to play again. I don’t want to rush anything.
“If I don’t let in heal properly, it’ll affect my hand and wrist for the rest of my life.”
The contract begins with the 2021/22 season.
In 2018/19, Holloway was MVP of the AJHL while playing for the Okotoks Oilers.
The native of Bragg Creek, Alta., is listed at 6’1″, 203 pounds.
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