Edmonton Oilers may see different version of Broberg and Holloway in first game vs. Blues
Photo credit: Jeff Curry - Imagn Images
The St. Louis Blues will play the Oilers tonight for the first time this season, and things are looking different from their breakout season last year.
Both Broberg and Holloway were once considered top prospects for the Oilers, with Broberg selected 8th-overall in the 2019 draft and Holloway 14th-overall in the following one.
Despite their upside, however, both players had trouble finding their foothold in the Oilers' organization, which led to their being acquired by St. Louis.
In their time with the Blues, both Holloway and Broberg have developed into regulars in the lineup, helping their team qualify for the 2nd wild-card spot in the Western Conference last season with a 44-30-8 record.
«They're rink rats,» head coach Jim Montgomery said of the two former-Oilers. «They watch video. They're locked in. Practice, they're dialled in. When it's their turn to go, they're going as hard as they can. And then in games it's just how well they compete and the athletic ability.»
This season, however, is another matter altogether, with the Blues struggling to find any success; they currently hold the last spot in the Central Division with a record of 3-7-2 and 8 points. Neither Broberg or Holloway are faring too well either.
Holloway underwent abdominal surgery last year because of an abdominal injury, forcing him to miss the playoffs, and could be the reason he's off to an average start; he's scored 2 goals and 4 assists in 12 games and is a minus-5.
Broberg scored 8G and 29 points in 68 regular season games last year with St. Louis, averaging 20:30 TOI. This year, he's recorded just 1 goal and 3 assists in 12 games, with a -4 rating.
Monday's game marks the 4th time the Blues and Oilers meet since Broberg and Holloway joined the Blues, with St. Louis losing the season series last year 0-2-1.
Holloway was still bitter over how the Oilers handled the St. Louis offer sheets, saying this of his former team:
«It rubbed me the wrong how little Edmonton thought of me in our contract negotiations,» Holloway told Andy Strickland and Cam Janssen on the Cam and Strick Podcast. «I'm an Alberta boy; I wanted to go back to a team we went so far with. But as soon as Edmonton didn't reciprocate that feeling, I was all in on St. Louis.»
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