The path Justin Holl has traveled to the Toronto Maple Leafs is an enigma.

Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Justin Holl is a native out of Tonka Bay Minnesota, and began his career playing high school hockey in the USHS for Minnetonka. Holl played three seasons for Minnetonka, and became their team captain during the 2009/2010 season.

A Holl In One For Justin

The 2009/2010 season quickly became an important one for Holl, who played for the USHS, UMHSEHL, and the USHL in one calendar year. Between three leagues Justin scored 24 goals, 30 assists, and 54 points in 58 games.

With the 2010 NHL Entry Draft looming, the college scouting reports for Justin Holl were in full force. This is what Chris Dilks of SBN College Hockey had to say about Holl.

If playing between three leagues wasn’t enough hockey for Justin Holl, that summer he was selected 54th overall by the Chicago Blackhawks in the second round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.

After being selected, Holl assured Blackhawks fans he was a smart and offensively talented defenseman, who could make a good first pass and transition well with his skating and intelligence.

A Holl Lot Of Transactions

The mystery as to why the Blackhawks never put enough time in Justin Holl becomes even more intriguing when you map out the entire trade tree behind that second round pick. (I made the graphic).

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Down The Rabbit Holl

Holl played four years for Minnesota in the NCAA, and is famously known for his dramatic shorthanded buzzer beating game winner of the 2014 Frozen Four Semifinals. With less than 1 second left in the 3rd period and the Gophers shorthanded, Holl kicked a loose puck to his stick and managed to get one last quick shot away before OT. In one of the most thrilling college hockey moments of the last decade, Holl scored with .6 seconds left on the clock to send the Gophers to the Frozen Four Finals.

Justin graduated to the AHL with Rockford in 2014/2015, but his career in the Blackhawks organization would soon be short lived. Holl played in just two AHL games for the Rockford IceHogs and was sent to the Indy Fuel of the ECHL, where he scored 7 goals, 27 assists for 34 points in 66 games.

Hey Now, You’re A Holl-Star

When Kyle Dubas took over the Toronto Marlies in 2014, he brought a refreshing outlook to the Toronto Maple Leafs organization. In 2015/2016 Kyle Dubas announced the signing of UFA Justin Holl, who reported directly to the Toronto Marlies of the AHL. That season, Holl played 60 games for the Marlies scoring 5 goals, 16 assists for 21 points.

The Marlies and Justin Holl would soon become two peas in a pod. During the 2017/2018 season Holl dressed in 60 games for the Toronto Marlies, scoring 7 goals, 21 assists for 28 points; and an AHL All-Star appearance.

In late January, Holl was rewarded with a call-up to the Toronto Maple Leafs and played in 2 regular season games. Leafs fans will remember the second game fondly, as both Travis Dermott and Justin Holl scored in the same game with each of their fathers in attendance. Holl finished his short NHL stint with 2 goals in 2 games.

Holl Do You Like That

Just like his NCAA series clincher, Justin Holl seems to always come to play in important games. Holl scored the triple OT goal against the Albany Devils in game 4 to advance to the 2nd round of the 2017 Calder Cup Playoffs, but it wasn’t until the 2018 Calder Cup Playoffs did Holl truly make a statement for himself.

Skating on the top pairing with Martin Marincin, Holl and the Toronto Marlies went on route to a thrilling Calder Cup Championship that sent the city of Toronto and Maple Leafs fans in a world of forgotten nirvana.

Ace In The Holl For The Toronto Maple Leafs

Very few personnel have been in the Justin Holl camp since being selected by the Blackhawks, but Kyle Dubas has always stood by his free agent signing. With the upcoming 2018/2019 NHL season looming and one roster spot open for grabs, Holl is exactly where he wants to be; in an open dogfight for a full time job in the NHL.

Will Justin become that ace in the hole for Kyle Dubas and the Toronto Maple Leafs?

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