Article content
In with the new, out with the not quite as new.
They say that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction and in the case of the Edmonton Oilers, that means hard luck for Dylan Holloway and Connor Brown.
Article content
With the arrival of Adam Henrique and Sam Carrick in Wednesday’s trade with the Anaheim Ducks, the 22-year-old sophomore and the newly-acquired winger are the odd men out.
Article content
Holloway is on loan to the Bakersfield Condors and Brown is a healthy scratch.
Holloway plays hard and still has a good future, but his minutes are low already (sub ten in five of the last eight games) and his role would shrink even more with the addition to two veteran players.
He will benefit from more ice time in Bakersfield, so that’s where he’ll spend the next little while.
“It is difficult for a young player who had been playing well and was starting to make strides,” said head coach Kris Knoblauch, adding it has nothing to do with how Holloway is playing.
“It’s more circumstance. When you have a good team with a lot of good players you have to make some difficult decisions. But for him to play a minimal role here and being a healthy scratch, I don’t think that’s beneficial for him or the team.
“There will be times, whether it’s next week, two week or playoffs, whenever it is, that we’ll see him again in our lineup.”
Brown, meanwhile, has been a spectacular disappointment production-wise. He started the season as Connor McDavid’s right hand man, but 52 games and no goals later he’s been down on the fourth line. Knoblauch still likes what he is contributing and doesn’t think he’ll fade into the background in Edmonton.
“He’ll be a part of it, especially when we’re playing back-to-back,” said Knoblauch. “I have not forgotten about Connor. He’s been playing really good hockey. The analytics back that up with his expected goals for, his opportunities generated. He’s spending a lot of time in the offensive zone. It’s just unfortunate that somebody has to come out.”
E-mail: rtychkowski@postmedia.com
Recommended from Editorial
Share this article in your social network
