Holt has shot at goal-scorer’s role
Forward taking advantage of time alongside playmaker Malm, new addition Koch on second line
From the outside looking in, Dawson Holt is the most comfortable he’s been on the ice in his three Western Hockey League seasons with the Vancouver Giants.
And from the inside looking out Mr. Holt?
“It’s been good the past few games. The team is rolling and I seem to be getting some chances,” said the 18-year-old forward from Saskatoon, who was Vancouver’s first pick, eighth overall, in the 2014 WHL bantam draft. “I am feeling good.”
Holt has three goals and four assists in his past four outings, which has helped him establish WHL single-season career highs in goals (seven) and points (25) already this season.
He’s played all three forward posts during his time in Vancouver, but this stint has coincided with him settling in on the right wing alongside centre James Malm on what amounts to Vancouver’s second line.
Malm is slick and tricky. He likes to hang on to the puck that extra split second so a linemate can escape his check. Malm then regularly finds him with a pass. Holt has a heavy shot, so there’s a synergy there.
Trade pickup Davis Koch debuted on the left side with Malm and Holt in Vancouver’s 3-2 win over the Kelowna Rockets Saturday at the Langley Events Centre and it’s easy to suggest coach Jason McKee isn’t going to mess with his lineup too much when Vancouver hosts the Victoria Royals Friday at LEC.
Vancouver has points in nine consecutive games (7-0-2-0) and going into Wednesday, the Giants (25-144-2) had the fourth-best record in the Western Conference.
The Giants are aiming to get into the playoffs for the first time in four springs. With 27 games left on their 72-game schedule, they’ve already surpassed their win total for last season (20) and 2015-16 (23) and they are closing in on their total for 201415 (27).
“I think we are seeing the best of Dawson in the last couple of weeks,” said McKee, who’s in his second season at the helm of the club. “In my time here, it’s the most consistent that we’ve seen.
"He’s always had a good shot. In practice you could see it. It’s about him getting into spots to use it and I think he’s working harder to get into those areas. And I think he’s using his shot more. He’s realizing that he has a good shot and he’s believing in it.”
Holt added: “I’m more shoot first than pass first, like I was in other years. I’ve seen guys who shoot more end up getting more chances for their line.”
This type of production is what the Giants expected from the 5-foot-11, 183-pound Holt when they picked him in the bantam draft four springs ago, one spot after the Tri-City Americans nabbed Michael Rasmussen and two places before Vancouver took Brendan Semchuk, who was dealt to the Oil Kings in the Koch trade.
Holt had scored in bantam, putting up 35 goals and 73 points in 26 games during his 2013-14 draft campaign. He produced the next year in midget, too, with 17 goals and 32 points in 35 regular-season games.
Injuries did slow him down at the start of his Vancouver career, though. Holt played just 40 games as a 16-year-old and then 39 games last season. There were some extended absences because of “upper-body injuries” and those often are concussion related.
Holt wasn’t about to elaborate, other than to say he’s feeling 100 per cent now. He had six goals and 22 points combined in those first two seasons as a full-time WHLer.
“I’ve had a tough go before, but it’s been good so far this season,” Holt reiterated. “Obviously, being injured is never fun. I tried to stay positive through it all and think that when I get back I’ll be healthy and I’ve seen that this year.”