Life has been rough for Alexander Holtz since he arrived in Las Vegas. The former New Jersey Devils winger was set to hold down a roster spot for good after coming over for Paul Cotter. Scoring 16 goals as a youngster will certainly raise eyebrows, you know.
He followed that up with... four goals and eight assists in 53 games. He got the dud.
That led to a chain effect within the Golden Knights organization. That included Kelly McCrimmon acquiring Brandon Saad and bringing Reilly Smith back for the reunion tour. When a 23-year-old winger doesn't get the job done, you must bring experienced players to do the work.
On top of that, Holtz was relegated to mop-up duty with the... Henderson Silver Knights. However, not all was bad in this scenario. The Swedish forward actually played well, scoring seven goals and six assists in 16 games. Suddenly, he found his shot and was slapping bullets across the rink.
With the theme of redemption running wild this week, let's focus our attention on the youngster and see how he can do it. That means looking at what must be done and where his strengths lie.
The first step is getting a new deal done
Currently, Holtz is a restricted free agent who doesn't have a new deal. The 23-year-old doesn't have arbitration rights, yet he still doesn't have a deal done with the NHL club.
Of course, this has led to trade speculation on many levels, including the Toronto Maple Leafs. However, if he truly wants to redeem himself with the Golden Knights, he must get a deal done.
It doesn't matter if it's a modest pay bump. He must be willing to come back with open arms and get back on the ice. That leads to the next point...
Alexander Holtz must work on some things while with the Vegas Golden Knights
If Holtz does come back with the Golden Knights, some things must be rectified. Obviously, that starts with his backchecking, where he's been deemed unreliable. Part of why Tom Fitzgerald and the Devils let him loose was because Holtz was a defensive liability.
Learning how to incorporate yourself into Bruce Cassidy's defense-first system is paramount to getting back into the team's good graces. He must be better away from the puck and handle oncoming pressure without flinching. If he does this, he's closer to redemption.
That also means finishing your opportunities given to you. That includes having a better shot selection while playing. His Corsi (49%) and his Fenwick (50%) are a testament to this, which is where he struggled the most. Finding better scoring opportunities and looking for the best spots will help him move back into the organization.
Let's be honest. Holtz has his work cut out for him in the coming months. He must rectify his game and make the necessary adjustments to ensure he has a job. However, he's on a team that knows a thing or two about defying expectations.