Alexander Holtz

March 2022 – Holtz earned himself a seven-game stint with the Devils this year, earning two assists in that span. He was playing very well before the call-up, but since being sent back down to Utica, the Swedish winger has earned 12 goals and 12 assists for 24 points in only 20 games. What’s more, he was only kept off the scoresheet in three of those games. The consistency of his offensive involvement bodes very well for what he can bring at the next level, but his defensive game remains a below-average skillset. Hadi Kalakeche

November 2021 – Holtz has scored five goals through four AHL games for Utica, and has looked good enough to eventually earn a call-up to the NHL this season. It’s likely a matter of weeks before he’s lacing up for his first NHL game, especially if the Devils’ injury woes continue. – Hadi Kalakeche

October 2021 – Holtz signed his ELC last April and is now pushing for a spot on the Devils’ main roster with his preseason performances to this point. He could benefit from a full AHL year to get acclimated to North American ice and should be sent down before the end of the preseason to fine-tune his game, especially with Dawson Mercer pushing for a spot. It’s all for the better, as his play away from the puck needs some improvement before he’s fully ready. Hadi Kalakeche

April 2021 – Holtz has more or less maintained his scoring pace from his rookie SHL season, showing good chemistry with William Eklund (2021) and showcasing his ability to play a dual-threat game. He recorded seven goals and 11 assists in 40 games, but also showed better involvement off the puck, heading into dangerous areas, and battling hard along the boards. Transitioning to North America would help Holtz get acclimated to the conditions he will face on the big stage, but his SHL contract extends to 2021-2022 and it seems that the Devils are intent on him spending that time overseas to season his game. Hadi Kalakeche

January 2021 –  Holtz played a solid tournament, despite only scoring three points in five games for Sweden in an off-podium tournament finish. He played on the top line with Lucas Raymond and an assortment of Swedish centers, none of which truly developed a chemistry with him. He will now return to Djurgardens and further his game in the SHL for the next season, as the Devils deemed it better for his development. This time next year, he will either be with the Devils or at his second World Juniors as a returnee.  Hadi Kalakeche

December 2020 – Holtz will be joining his countrymen at the 2021 World Junior Hockey Championship and will look to assume a prominent goal-scoring role and dominate the powerplay. Given Sweden’s center depth, any line he plays on will have a decent playmaker for him. Hadi Kalakeche

October 2020 – The Devils had a lot of excellent options to choose from with the seventh overall pick of the 2020 draft, and decided to fill a huge need with Holtz – he is now by far the best right-wing prospect in their pool. Holtz’s shot is the best in his draft class, as he can wire it from anywhere in the offensive zone. He shows versatility in his scoring chances, utilizing different shots and being able to produce both off the rush and during offensive-zone cycles. His skating is decent, will not require much work to match the pace of the NHL, and his playmaking is underrated. Adding weight onto his frame in the next couple of years will surely contribute to his overall game, as he learns to separate physically from his man in the offensive zone and create more space for himself. A small criticism of his game would be his tendency to shoot from the blue line instead of waiting for teammates and selecting a better option. Overall, Holtz’s shooting prowess should turn him into a perennial 30+ goal scorer, especially with either Hischier or Hughes feeding him pucks into dangerous ice. He will likely spend his Draft+1 year with Djurgardens in the SHL, which will further his offensive development.  Hadi Kalakeche

October 2020 – Holtz was drafted seventh overall by the Devils. Holtz spent the entire season in the top ten on almost all pre-draft rankings. He is expected to spend the 2020-2021 season in Sweden but could push for an NHL job in 2021-2022.  Jokke Nevalainen

February 2020 – Holtz has been a regular at the SHL level this season, putting up eight goals and 14 points in 29 games. At first glance, those stats may not look so great but that is excellent production for a 17-year-old in one of the best leagues in the world. Holtz is only averaging 12:42 of ice time on a very good Djurgården team but 1:50 of that has come on the power play where he has scored two of his 14 points. Holtz’s usage hasn’t been optimal but he’s making the best of it. He still projects to become a top 10 pick at the draft.  Jokke Nevalainen

July 2019 – Holtz has just finished his first full season in J20 SuperElit with Djurgårdens IF. While Holtz wasn’t consistently dominant on the ice, his productivity has been phenomenal all season long. He broke the U17 record for most points in a single season but was surpassed by Lucas Raymond in the last round of the regular season. With his 30 goals, Holtz also demolished the U17 goal-scoring record. He also got to make his debut with Djurgårdens IF in the SHL, although with spare ice time (5:32 average) in all three games he was dressed for. To crown this season, Holtz was part of Team Sweden at the U18 World Championship where he also was selected to be one of the assistant captains. Just as at the club level, Holtz stayed productive and had four goals and seven points, and played his part for Sweden to win the gold medal. While writing about Holtz it is easy to get stuck at his most prominent skill – his shot. Holtz is a fantastic shooter who can beat the goaltender in many different ways; he can score with a precise wrist shot, with a swift snapshot or blast the puck past the goaltender with a heavy slap shot. His shot is one of the best, if not the best, among all prospects eligible for the 2020 NHL Entry Draft at this date. But there’s more to Holtz’s scoring abilities than just shooting; he reads and anticipates the game well and is great at spotting openings to give himself breakaways. In the offensive zone, he works hard to position himself to become an option for a pass, and he is often ready to shoot well before the puck is heading his way. Holtz is far from a one-dimensional sniper, as his playmaking skills aren’t bad; he can spot less-than-obvious passing lanes and execute passes well enough to take advantage of his above-average vision. His offensive game is supported by good skating abilities; he has quite good initial step and acceleration, and his top speed is already above-average in J20 SuperElit. Another aspect to like about Holtz’s game is his stickhandling. He is not a player that will consistently try to dangle his way past opponents, but he has the ability to beat lone defenders in order to create prime scoring chances for himself or to open up the play. It is also worth noting that Holtz is a good forechecker and reads the game very well off the puck, which enables him to win the puck up high. In the upcoming season, Holtz will most likely continue to play for Djurården’s J20 team, while getting the occasional call-up to the SHL team.  Christoffer Hedlund