Former top-10 pick looks to shine with Knights: ‘I have a lot to prove’

Alexander Holtz doesn’t come with baggage, but his future with the Golden Knights is a mystery.

The Knights would love the seventh overall pick in the 2020 draft to turn into a player they can build around. They want to tap into the upside they see in his game.

It’s up to Holtz to take advantage of his second chance after the New Jersey Devils traded him to the Knights on June 29. He knows that.

“It’s a really good opportunity for me to come here,” Holtz said. “But at the same time, I have a lot to prove.”

It was clear after last season that Holtz, still just 22 years old, needed a fresh start.

He played all 82 games for the Devils, but averaged just 11:38 of ice time. He finished with 16 goals and 28 points and fell out of favor with the organization.

Some of that was due to New Jersey’s crowded depth chart on the wing. Some of that was due to cracks in Holtz’s own game. His puck management and decision making fell under scrutiny by the coaching staff.

Still, what makes Holtz intriguing is his tantalizing offensive skill set. There’s a reason he was taken near the top of his draft class.

“I feel like I have a lot of potential that maybe I haven’t really fulfilled yet,” Holtz said. “I’m really excited for this opportunity here and really excited to get the season going.”

General manager Kelly McCrimmon felt Holtz remained promising enough to send left wing Paul Cotter and a third-round pick to the Devils in exchange for Holtz and goaltender Akira Schmid.

And now that Holtz is in the organization, coach Bruce Cassidy isn’t going to hold anything that was said about the player in New Jersey against him.

“I’m not going to be overly concerned with what happened and judge everything that happened in New Jersey,” Cassidy said. “Here’s how we play, can you adjust and still play to your strengths? That’s what we’re going to look at with him.”

Holtz can look to other players in the Knights’ locker room for inspiration.

Many of the scouting reports on left wing Pavel Dorofeyev coming into the 2019 draft featured questions about his commitment in the defensive zone. The third-round pick has since turned into a reliable player and opened up training camp on a line with center William Karlsson and captain Mark Stone.

It’s clear the Knights are giving Holtz every chance to succeed as well. He is starting camp with two proven NHL forwards in center Tomas Hertl and right wing Nicolas Roy.

Hertl, entering his 12th season, has enjoyed getting to know his new linemate. They’ve bonded over their love of the Premier League. Hertl thinks Holtz’s skill could be a good addition to the Knights’ lineup.

“I think he’s got great potential,” Hertl said. “I want to help him. He’s just got to be himself. He’s got good speed, he’s got great hands and he knows he’s a skilled guy. I think he’ll help us a lot in the future.”

Holtz is one of several players competing for open roles on the Knights’ roster after six players left in free agency this summer.

The chance is there for him to show what he can do. The rest is up to him.

“I want to play more. That’s why I’m really excited for this opportunity,” Holtz said. “And hopefully it can be a really good fit.”

Contact Danny Webster at dwebster@reviewjournal.com. Follow @DannyWebster21 on X.