It was clear that Justin Holl needed a fresh start, but many were surprised when the Detroit Red Wings signed the former Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman to a three-year, $10.2 million contract. Especially after he found himself as a healthy scratch during what was a challenging playoff run for the Minnesota native.
But through the first 10 days of the regular season, Holl has been part of a Detroit Red Wings team that has surprised in the Atlantic Division, going 5-1-0 through their first six games and he currently leads the NHL with a plus-minus rating of 9.
Holl has three assists in five games and has an expected goals percentage of 56.5, currently fifth-best on the team, per NaturalStatTrick.com.
The 31-year-old has never been much of an offensive defenseman, but played on Toronto's middle pair at his peak. He seemed to discover his game at the NHL level during the 2021 season when he finally established himself as a shutdown defenseman.
When speaking to the media in August after signing his deal, Holl said he felt he could bring more to the table.
“I’ve been used more defensively in years past and I think that’s probably where a lot of my value lies, but I think I can do things on both sides of the ice,” Holl told reporters. “Be a steady presence on the back end and help us win games.”
So far, he's pulling it off, even though there are differing opinions on the relevance of the plus-minus statistic.
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