The Bragg Creek, AB. product was the centrepiece of countless rumours after the Western Hockey League’s Winnipeg ICE traded for his rights in mid-June. Manitoba’s newest WHL team dealt three bantam draft picks (two of which were conditional – based on Holloway’s decision) to the Everett Silvertips in exchange for the playing rights to the 17-year-old forward.
After being drafted in the sixth round of the 2016 WHL Bantam Draft by the Silvertips, Holloway signed a letter of intent, committing to play for the Wisconsin Badgers. Following the completion of the midget AAA career, the 5-foot-11, 185-pound winger put together two ultra-successful seasons in the Alberta Junior Hockey League with the Okotoks Oilers, culminating with the AJHL MVP award and the prestigious CJHL Player of the Year distinction.
“I was never really too sure which route I was going to choose,” Holloway said Monday. “But after I met the coaching staff and saw the facilities here at UW, I knew that this was where I wanted to play. I know the Western League is a great league but I felt my development would be better at college especially with the coaching staff that UW has.”
Despite missing a significant portion of the 2017-18 season while training/playing with Canada at the U-17 IIHF World Hockey Championships, Holloway finished his first year of junior as a point-per-game rookie. This past season, the projected top-10 2020 NHL Entry Draft pick put up 40 goals, 88 points and 56 penalty minutes in 53 regular season games. He added another nine goals and 13 points in 11 playoff games, on top of two goals and four points for the Canadian U-18 team.
Although not ideal for an ICE squad hoping to add another offensive weapon in what has already been a highly productive offseason, if all goes according to plan, Holloway will wear cardinal red and white while suiting up for the NCAA Division I Badgers. Wisconsin recently named Virden product and third-year defenceman Wyatt Kalynuk its team captain, while good friend of Holloway’s, Alex Turcotte will also skate with the Badgers in 2019-20.
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