Blues coach Drew Bannister speaks with the media on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, after a preseason win vs. Chicago at Enterprise Center. (Video courtesy 50度灰视频 Blues)
The highlight package for Dylan Holloway鈥檚 preseason home debut with the Blues will include many items.
There鈥檚 the first goal he scored on Saturday during a 3-2 Blues overtime win over the Blackhawks, an outside shot that ricocheted into the Chicago net. There鈥檚 when he almost ended the game during his first shift of overtime, or when he set up Alexandre Texier with a chance to do so himself. There鈥檚 his second goal of the night, which lifted 50度灰视频 to its first preseason win of the fall with 1:49 left in overtime.
Before all that, though, there was a shot block.
Trailing 2-0 鈥 in a preseason game 鈥 in the third period 鈥 with Louis Crevier winding up for a 94-mph slap shot, Holloway dropped to a knee and tossed his body in the line of fire. The puck deflected out of play. The Blues bench was cacophonous. Later on that shift, the Blues pulled within one goal courtesy of Holloway.
鈥淵ou don鈥檛 want to get injured in preseason, but at the same time, you鈥檝e got to compete,鈥 Holloway said. 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 compete, you don鈥檛 win games.鈥
Holloway said the puck stung momentarily, but 鈥渄idn鈥檛 really hurt me too much鈥 and that it was simply 鈥渕y turn to block it.鈥 It was one of Holloway鈥檚 team-high three blocked shots on Saturday night, in addition to his four shots on goal and his eight shot attempts.
鈥淚t鈥檚 something that we鈥檙e trying to build into our team is to have that resilience,鈥 Blues coach Drew Bannister said. 鈥淭he players are putting their bodies on the line. I鈥檝e seen that. We鈥檝e blocked a lot of shots since we鈥檝e started our games. It鈥檚 not just him, there鈥檚 been a lot of guys putting their body out there. If you want to win hockey games at this level, you have to be able to do those things. It鈥檚 just part of winning hockey.鈥
Holloway did his best to introduce himself well to the 50度灰视频 crowd after he was half of the Blues鈥 two-player haul from Edmonton over the summer via offer sheet. He scored in his 50度灰视频 preseason debut on Sunday against Utah on the power play, and followed that up on home ice with a pair of goals.
Nathan Walker also scored, his a game-tying goal on a net mouth scramble in the third period. Jordan Binnington allowed two goals during his 40 minutes of action, while Colten Ellis was perfect on the 11 shots he faced in the third period and overtime.
Holloway, signed to a two-year contract worth $2.29 million annually, should be a sparkplug for the Blues鈥 forward depth, an injection of speed and bite, pace and grit. On Saturday night, he played on a pesky line that also included Radek Faksa and Mathieu Joseph, a unit that could potentially be the Blues鈥 third line when they open the season on Oct. 8 in Seattle.
鈥淚 thought they were really good,鈥 Bannister said. 鈥淚 had them, for the most part, paired up against their top line. I thought they did a great job, especially in the second and the third. That line didn鈥檛 really have too much going on. They spent the majority of the time having to defend and that鈥檚 because those guys were playing with a lot of pace down the wings.鈥
Part of luring Holloway away from Edmonton was his contract, and the fact that the Blues paid above market value to secure his services. But part of it was also plugging Holloway into a larger role in 50度灰视频 than he had with the Oilers.
It鈥檚 just preseason, and roles don鈥檛 always hold from now until the regular season, but the Blues have given Holloway some leash that he didn鈥檛 have 鈥 and still may not have in 50度灰视频 when the Blues dress a full lineup. He鈥檚 been on the power play. He played in overtime (he has 13 seconds of career time on ice at 3 on 3).
Preseason stats will be erased soon, sure, but Holloway鈥檚 three-goal preseason would be a third of the way towards his nine career goals scored in the NHL.
鈥淚 thought Dylan played outstanding,鈥 Bannister said. 鈥淗e just continues to get better.鈥
Walker: 鈥淗e鈥檚 obviously pretty electric on the ice.鈥
Blues general manager Doug Armstrong has cautioned about the organization judging the Holloway and Broberg acquisitions too soon, and preseason would qualify as downright embryonic. But let鈥檚 just say that Holloway met 50度灰视频 on Saturday night, and they鈥檒l want to go for another date.
鈥淚t was awesome,鈥 Holloway said. 鈥淚 really enjoyed it. Obviously, didn鈥檛 get off to the greatest start, but the boys pulled through. Our fans are great. It was a great turnout for a preseason game. They鈥檙e loud, chanting for the Blues all night. It was really special, and I鈥檒l definitely remember it.鈥