He might not have an NHL contract for the upcoming 2014-15 season, but former WHL sniper Mitch Holmberg could be a name to remember down the road. Holmberg concluded his WHL career this past season and got a look with Oklahoma City on an amateur try-out agreement, which ended up leading to an AHL contract for this season.
The Means of Entry:
As mentioned, Holmberg signed an AHL contract for the upcoming season to play with the Barons, with the Oilers more than likely pushing for the move behind the scenes. Holmberg’s junior career concluded this year, and the previously undrafted forward agreed to join the Barons on an ATO.
Holmberg previously played five season for the Spokane Chiefs in the WHL, and got into a game for the Barons this year, while also practicing with the team and with the ECHL’s Bakersfield Condors.
The Boxcars:
Holmberg is a sniper, and this is evident by his boxcars at the WHL level. He played in 52 games in his rookie year in the WHL, the 2009-10 season, where he scored ten points, with four of those being goals. Holmberg showed solid improvement in 2010-11, posting 33 points in 58 games and finding the back of the net 15 times.
He made another big jump in 2011-12, posting 55 points in 66 games and scoring 27 goals, and exploded in 2012-13, scoring 80 points in 66 games and scoring 39 goals.
Holmberg was downright ridiculous this season, scoring 62 goals in 72 games. That is not a typo, this kid scored 62 goals in the WHL this past season, shattering the confidence of goalies everywhere. He finished with 118 total points, a tremendous season that put him on the map as an overager.
Holmberg dressed in one game for the Barons this year, posting an assist and a -1 rating. He didn’t play in any playoff games in the AHL, but did play in three ECHL playoff games, where he registered no points.
The Player:
Mitch Holmberg is an older prospect, leaving the WHL at the age of 21. He’s a smaller forward, standing in at 5’10” and only 175 pounds. He’s your typical small and skilled forward, a guy that can post offense and create chances, but not someone who is going to be a physical player.
Holmberg’s game isn’t built on physicality or big boy play. He’s not a guy that is going to throw his body around, and he isn’t a guy that is going to muscle his way to the tough areas. It’s part of the reason he never got drafted, he’s small and was knocked off the puck quite a bit at the junior level, that’s a concern.
His defensive game was average at the junior level as well, as he was mainly just an offensive threat, not really a two-way option. He’s not a player who you can just throw in on the fourth line and expect to play on a tough-minutes line, he’s an offensive player and should be deployed as such.
Offensively, his skills are really good. He’s got excellent vision with the puck, and has a high hockey IQ that allows him to make things happen and see what’s going on around him. He’s got a terrific shot, evident by his goal scoring totals, and can make some solid passes, evident by his overall point totals over the years.
He’s an offensive player that needs to learn the defensive side of the game, and needs to get stronger. The good news for Holmberg is that he is very talented and has a lot of skill. You can’t teach skill, but you can teach two-way play, and you can work to bulk up.
This player is certainly a project, but he’s got the talent to be a real sleeper prospect moving forward for Edmonton. A comparable would be Tampa Bay’s Tyler Johnson, another undrafted scorer out of the Spokane program who had size issues and defensive issues. He worked those out in the AHL, and has been a solid contributor in the NHL ever since.
The 2014-15 Outlook:
Holmberg is an interesting case, because there is clearly a role for him in Oklahoma City, it’s just a matter of if he can take it. The Barons do not have many difference makers on offense, not many guys with the pure offensive ability of Holmberg. The Oilers have some solid prospects that play good two-way games, but are lacking that sniper.
The team has always carried this player, and Holmberg is a prime candidate to fill the spot. The expectation for him is to have solid season, either in the ECHL or AHL, where he posts respectable offensive totals while showing some progress in his two-way game. If he is able to do that, he could very well score an entry-level deal with the big club next fall.
Mitch Holmberg has unreal talent, in fact he probably has more offensive talent than any Oiler prospect bound for OKC. While he may just be on an AHL deal, he will be worth watching, as I suspect he will get some prime offensive minutes for the Barons at some point this coming season.
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