University of Minnesota Athletics
My NHL Debut: Justin Holl
8/24/2018 11:48:00 AM | Men's Hockey
MINNEAPOLIS -- The 2017-18 NHL season saw 26 Gopher Hockey alums take the ice -- tying the known NCAA record -- including seven University of Minnesota alums who made their NHL debuts last year. GopherSports.com is checking in with all seven to hear about their first taste of the NHL including today's featured alum -- Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Justin Holl.Â
A native of Tonka Bay, Minn., Holl made his NHL debut with Toronto on Jan. 31, 2018 against the New York Islanders and scored his first NHL goal in his first NHL game -- a 5-0 win for the Maple Leafs. The next night, he tallied the game-winning goal in his second career game as Toronto beat the New York Rangers by a 4-0 margin. In two NHL games this year, Holl tallied a pair of goals, owned a +5 rating and helped Toronto outscore its opponents 9-0. His time in the AHL this year was also noteworthy including a career-high 28 points with the Toronto Marlies. Holl played in the AHL All-Star Game just before his NHL debut while the Marlies closed out the 2017-18 by winning the Calder Cup as AHL champions.Â
In 142 career games with the Gophers, Holl notched 38 points (eight goals, 30 assists) -- none bigger than his last second goal against North Dakota in the 2014 NCAA Frozen Four semifinal to send the Maroon & Gold to the national championship game as a senior. Holl's 13 points that season were a career high with his lone goal on the year now counted among the greatest tallies in program history. A four-year letter winner, Holl helped Minnesota to a pair of Frozen Four appearances as well as three-straight regular-season conference championships. He was also a three-time academic all-conference honoree -- earning the accolade in each year he was eligible.
First off, how did you find out you were getting called up for your first NHL game?Â
"I was coming back from All-Star Break with Garret Sparks, we were visiting his buddy in Rochester, so we were driving home. It was the last day of the AHL All-Star Break and I got a call from (Toronto General Manager) Kyle Dubas saying, "Hey, we might need you to play tonight", so I was like, "Okay, great," but he said he wasn't sure yet, so I went home and took a nap, tried to prepare as best as I could and I got a call around four saying that they were going to need me to play that night, and I knew it was time to lock it in and get ready to go."
What went through your head when your first goal went in during your debut? And then to do it again the next night?
"It was super exciting. Obviously, that's not in the forefront of your mind when you're playing your first NHL game, you'd like to score, but, more important is just trying to play as well as you can and not be too worried about the scoresheet. Fortunately, we were in the third period and we got ourselves a nice lead, and I ended up being in the right place at the right time to score, which was great and was super exciting. The next night it was crazy, that one was earlier in the game, and I just fired one through traffic and it went in. I like to tell people a lot, cause they're always like, "Wow, two goals, two games," I tell them, "Sometimes the bear gets you, and sometimes you get the bear." You never know what's going to happen, but those two games ended up working out pretty well for me."
What was the reaction like from your friends and family and social media?Â
"It was weird because I was with the AHL All-Star Game two days prior, so people were texting me congrats, and then my birthday was the next day, so people were texting me happy birthday, then I made my NHL debut the next day. So I had the same exact conversations with the same people like three days in a row, which was really funny. That was a busy time, and after that I was just trying to get back to everyone and respond, tell them thanks, and I really appreciated all the support that I got."
With the short turnaround for your first NHL game, your parents couldn't make it in time. But your dad made it to your second game, right?Â
"That was amazing, and Toronto is a first-class organization. Right when I got called up, it was only a couple hours before the game, so they weren't able to make it, but for the second game it ended up being Father's Weekend. So, they called him up right after the game and got him on a flight to New York where he met us and saw us play the Rangers in New York. It was so much fun, and we got to catch up a little, which was exciting because I hadn't seen him in awhile with it being the season. It was a ton of fun for him to come along on the private jet, get the whole experience, so he really enjoyed it."
And then you cap off the season by helping the Marlies win the Calder Cup. How did that feel for you after the season you had?Â
"It was amazing. We had an excellent team the whole season, so we knew we had a good chance. When playoffs came around we really found our stride. In the second round, the guys believed and we knew we could do it. It goes to seven games and you never know what's going to happen, you've been working so long to achieve that goal. Once you actually do achieve that it means so much more and it was an amazing feeling."
Looking back, what do you remember from your time playing here at the University of Minnesota?
"I have nothing but great memories. Our freshman year was not as successful, but after that we won three-straight conference championships, went to two Frozen Fours, so having that success while I was here, it still kills me that we didn't win a national championship while I was here, it'll haunt me forever, but the memories that I made with the guys that played here, and the success that we had is something that I will always cherish."Â
A native of Tonka Bay, Minn., Holl made his NHL debut with Toronto on Jan. 31, 2018 against the New York Islanders and scored his first NHL goal in his first NHL game -- a 5-0 win for the Maple Leafs. The next night, he tallied the game-winning goal in his second career game as Toronto beat the New York Rangers by a 4-0 margin. In two NHL games this year, Holl tallied a pair of goals, owned a +5 rating and helped Toronto outscore its opponents 9-0. His time in the AHL this year was also noteworthy including a career-high 28 points with the Toronto Marlies. Holl played in the AHL All-Star Game just before his NHL debut while the Marlies closed out the 2017-18 by winning the Calder Cup as AHL champions.Â
In 142 career games with the Gophers, Holl notched 38 points (eight goals, 30 assists) -- none bigger than his last second goal against North Dakota in the 2014 NCAA Frozen Four semifinal to send the Maroon & Gold to the national championship game as a senior. Holl's 13 points that season were a career high with his lone goal on the year now counted among the greatest tallies in program history. A four-year letter winner, Holl helped Minnesota to a pair of Frozen Four appearances as well as three-straight regular-season conference championships. He was also a three-time academic all-conference honoree -- earning the accolade in each year he was eligible.
First off, how did you find out you were getting called up for your first NHL game?Â
"I was coming back from All-Star Break with Garret Sparks, we were visiting his buddy in Rochester, so we were driving home. It was the last day of the AHL All-Star Break and I got a call from (Toronto General Manager) Kyle Dubas saying, "Hey, we might need you to play tonight", so I was like, "Okay, great," but he said he wasn't sure yet, so I went home and took a nap, tried to prepare as best as I could and I got a call around four saying that they were going to need me to play that night, and I knew it was time to lock it in and get ready to go."
What went through your head when your first goal went in during your debut? And then to do it again the next night?
"It was super exciting. Obviously, that's not in the forefront of your mind when you're playing your first NHL game, you'd like to score, but, more important is just trying to play as well as you can and not be too worried about the scoresheet. Fortunately, we were in the third period and we got ourselves a nice lead, and I ended up being in the right place at the right time to score, which was great and was super exciting. The next night it was crazy, that one was earlier in the game, and I just fired one through traffic and it went in. I like to tell people a lot, cause they're always like, "Wow, two goals, two games," I tell them, "Sometimes the bear gets you, and sometimes you get the bear." You never know what's going to happen, but those two games ended up working out pretty well for me."
What was the reaction like from your friends and family and social media?Â
"It was weird because I was with the AHL All-Star Game two days prior, so people were texting me congrats, and then my birthday was the next day, so people were texting me happy birthday, then I made my NHL debut the next day. So I had the same exact conversations with the same people like three days in a row, which was really funny. That was a busy time, and after that I was just trying to get back to everyone and respond, tell them thanks, and I really appreciated all the support that I got."
With the short turnaround for your first NHL game, your parents couldn't make it in time. But your dad made it to your second game, right?Â
"That was amazing, and Toronto is a first-class organization. Right when I got called up, it was only a couple hours before the game, so they weren't able to make it, but for the second game it ended up being Father's Weekend. So, they called him up right after the game and got him on a flight to New York where he met us and saw us play the Rangers in New York. It was so much fun, and we got to catch up a little, which was exciting because I hadn't seen him in awhile with it being the season. It was a ton of fun for him to come along on the private jet, get the whole experience, so he really enjoyed it."
And then you cap off the season by helping the Marlies win the Calder Cup. How did that feel for you after the season you had?Â
"It was amazing. We had an excellent team the whole season, so we knew we had a good chance. When playoffs came around we really found our stride. In the second round, the guys believed and we knew we could do it. It goes to seven games and you never know what's going to happen, you've been working so long to achieve that goal. Once you actually do achieve that it means so much more and it was an amazing feeling."
Looking back, what do you remember from your time playing here at the University of Minnesota?
"I have nothing but great memories. Our freshman year was not as successful, but after that we won three-straight conference championships, went to two Frozen Fours, so having that success while I was here, it still kills me that we didn't win a national championship while I was here, it'll haunt me forever, but the memories that I made with the guys that played here, and the success that we had is something that I will always cherish."Â
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