Golden Knights GM Explains Motivation to Trade for Top Ex-Devils Forward

It was half expected that ex-New Jersey Devils forward Alexander Holtz would see his time come to an end in Newark this summer. When that actually came to fruition, it certainly sent Devils fans into a tizzy. The Devils faithful expressed worry that perhaps the team they cheer for gave up on the 22-year-old too quickly and that he’ll break out to become what many believe his potential to be. That’s exactly the dice Vegas Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon is rolling by acquiring Holtz.

As a refresher, a Devils trade with the Golden Knights just before the opening of free agency saw GM Tom Fitzgerald send Holtz and goaltender Akira Schmid to Vegas in exchange for forward Paul Cotter and a 2025 third-round pick.

Despite half-expecting it to happen, the trade certainly came as a shock. Not only is Holtz a former seventh overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft by New Jersey, but Schmid was one of the main reasons why the Devils were so successful in 2022-23. The Devils eventually eliminated the New York Rangers in the first round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs with the Swiss netminder in goal.

Unfortunately for Schmid, he fell out of favor in New Jersey and could never quite get himself back on track. In fact, he’s not even the second string goaltender in Vegas. McCrimmon might have traded Logan Thompson to the Washington Capitals, but he brought in Ilya Samsonov to back up Adin Hill.

Holtz on the other hand is certainly expected to be in the Golden Knights lineup on a daily basis. He just completed his first 82-game season in 2023-24, scoring 16 goals and 28 points, but the Golden Knights GM believes there’s more to Holtz.

“We think that Alexander Holtz has got untapped potential that we feel we can unlock here to some degree with the opportunity,” McCrimmon explained to Vegas media. “He’s a player we had tremendous regard for as an amateur. We’re taking a swing at his upside and what a change can do sometimes for young players.”

McCrimmon’s faith in Holtz is justified. He is, after all, a former first round pick within the top-10, has plenty of hardware leading up to his NHL career, and undoubtedly has an NHL-caliber shot that saw him so highly touted in his draft year.

Yet, during his time in New Jersey, regardless of how many opportunities Holtz was given to prove himself, he was never able to solidify his place in the lineup. Two coaches in Lindy Ruff and Travis Green buried the Swedish sniper and sheltered his minutes more often than not. And when the general manager spoke on Holtz, he didn’t have much better to say, either.

“I would say if [Holtz] changes as a player, then [his ice-time] will change,” Fitzgerald explained of Holtz in March. “He has not had a good year. I don’t believe it’s because he’s been on the fourth line. The core values that you have as a player, [being] strong on walls, puck play, puck management, are you turning pucks over? He’s shown he [can score] 13 goals in eight minutes of average ice time. It’s the other areas, the game within the game that say a lot. It matters, managing the lines, and turnovers. Those areas have to be way better.”

Perhaps Holtz can find the little details more easily in the Golden Knights’ lineup. Vegas is a very well constructed defensive group so it’s not unimaginable his deficits can’t be picked up somewhere else in the Golden Knights lineup.

Fitzgerald did concede he may not have handled Holtz’s development the proper way, although it’s on the player as well.

“Well, we’re not here to point blame on anybody. I can look at myself and say, maybe Alexander Holtz should have been in the American Hockey League two years ago when we had 112 points,” Fitzgerald admitted. “But I felt that play development can also occur at the National Hockey League level when you’re practicing every day with the Nico Hischier’s, the [Jesper] Bratt’s, the Jack Hughes’ and shooting on NHL goalies and going up against NHL defenseman. Versus being down and just being able to score down in the American Hockey League. Being pushed is development. I don’t think it’s any one person or any one division. I’d like to think the players also look in the mirror and say I could be better. But at the end of the day, we were at a standstill — quite honestly — with Alex.”

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