Canadiens' draft prospects: Centre Dylan Holloway boasts top-end speed

Dylan Holloway, left, of the Calgary Flames battles through a hook by Bailey Tokarz of the Ernie's Sports Experts Storm in Alberta Midget AAA Hockey League action on Oct. 8, 2016, in Grande Prairie, Alta. Holloway is ranked 12th among North American skaters by the NHL Central Scouting for 2020 NHL Entry Draft: Credit: Logan Clow/Grande Prairie Daily Herald-Tribune/Postmedia Network ORG XMIT: POS1610081632550798

The Montreal Canadiens have the 16th overall pick in the first round of the NHL entry draft, which will be held Oct. 6-7. This is the first of five profiles of players who could be on the Canadiens’ radar .

DYLAN HOLLOWAY

Team: University of Wisconsin

Position: Centre

Age: 19

Height/weight: 6-foot, 203 pounds

NHL Central Scouting: 12th among North American skaters

The skinny: The Canadiens should have a pretty good idea of what Holloway can do because he has spent the past season as Cole Caufield’s teammate at the University of Wisconsin.

Holloway was the second-youngest player in NCAA hockey and he was playing behind Caufield and Alex Turcotte. He managed to score eight goals and add nine assists in 35 games. With Turcotte turning pro, he could be on Wisconsin’s top line with Caufield when U.S. college hockey resumes. A left-shooting centre, Holloway has been described as coach’s dream because of his work ethic and his competition level at both ends of the ice.

He has many of the assets the Canadiens look for in a player. He has a quick first step and acceleration that leads to top-end speed. His long stride and lower-body strength allow him to skate through checks and he is a true power forward. He’s not shy about going to the net in search of rebounds. He’s strong along the boards and is a good stickhandler who is able to make sound decisions off the rush. Holloway delivers solid hits in the neutral zone and is effective as a penalty-killer.

The Bragg Creek, Alta., native was the most valuable player in the Alberta Junior Hockey League in the 2018-19 season after racking up 40 goals and 88 points in 53 games with the Okotoks Oilers. He also had eight goals and 11 points in seven playoff games.

Holloway has performed well on the international stage, winning gold medals with Team Canada at the 2017 Gretzky Hlinka Cup, the 2018 world under-18 championship and at the 2017 World Junior A championship. He also led Canada Red to a silver medal at the 2017 Under-17 World Hockey Challenge. He was one of only two NCAA payers invited to the Team Canada virtual training camp for the coming world junior championship.

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