Fantasy Hockey Feature: It's time to unshackle Alexander Holtz

When the New Jersey Devils fired head coach Lindy Ruff, a subsequent press conference with general manager Tom Fitzgerald provided a very honest assessment regarding young winger Alex Holtz. This is from NHL.com’s Mike Morreale: 

Holtz has 13 goals and 11 assists in 62 games but has averaged 11:35 per night in ice time, and has not reached the 16-minute mark in two months. Given that quote and Holtz’s importance to fantasy keepers/dynasty managers, it’s worth digging into his path to this season, his performance in 2023-24, and his future value. 

The 2020 Elite Prospects Draft Guide graded Holtz as the best shooter in the draft, with good skating and hockey sense, but that’s not what stood out when reading his profile. What stood out was an NHL scout saying, “This kid is so, so driven… He’s