Wilkes-Barre/Scranton: Defenseman Mac Hollowell On OHL And Professional Career
On a March morning, after a Wilkes-Barre/Scranton practice, Hollowell sat down with Olde City Sports Network to talk about the OHL, NHL experience, and more!
Before turning professional, Hollowell spent the better part of five seasons in the OHL with the Soo Greyhounds. He dressed in 259 games for the Greyhounds and tallied 42 goals with 141 assists. Hollowell also was the Assistant Captain in the 2018-2019 season. “In the OHL, I think I learned just how to play more of a pro style. I think that you learn more systems and everything than minor [junior] hockey, so it leads you in the right path to play pro hockey.”
Hollowell has played in six games during the course of his career for the Toronto Maple Leafs. He played in his NHL debut against the New Jersey Devils, and then against the Minnesota Wild, Pittsburgh Penguins, Detroit Red Wings, San Jose Sharks, and Tampa Bay Lightning. “It was in New Jersey. It was just an amazing experience. I had all my family there. It was just something I'll remember for the rest of my life. That game, the fans threw beer cans and everything on the ice, so we had to leave the game, but it was something just to remember it even more” Playing in the NHL is every player's dream, so when Hollowell received the call up to the NHL, he was fulfilling a lifelong dream. “It was amazing. I’m from Niagara Falls,Ontario, so everybody there is a huge leafs fan and it was my favorite team growing up, so it was like a dream come true and something that I've dreamed of my whole life and it was just amazing to do it.”
During his time with the now defunct ECHL team, Newfoundland Growlers, Hollowell played alongside guys like Todd Skirving, Ryan Chyzowski, and Keith Petruzelli. “It was really good. Those were all really good guys who were in the organization with me. I played with them in Newfoundland. They're all great guys and it was a lot of fun”
Being a veteran in the room, Hollowell has playoff experience, which is of value when you have younger players and rookies at a high level of hockey. “I think when the playoffs come, it's like a clean slate. It doesn't matter how you do in the regular season. It's it's intense, it's different than the regular season. it's a different game. You gotta fight for every inch out there, goals are scored differently, and if you're not willing you get to the inside and bang pucks in, you don't have too much success.”
Skills that any player should have, especially defenseman, are shooting and passing. Hollowell touches on what his strengths are regarding both. “I think I'm good at just reading guys and knowing where they're gonna be before they are, so I can kind of lead the puck into space for them. Shooting, I think, definitely not known for the strength of my shot. So I'd probably say more just placing it, finding paths, and finding spots where I'll get good rebounds for my teammates.”
Prioritizing the defensive zone is crucial when in the defense position. Defensemen see most of the play coming at them and they have to make sure they are in the correct position at the correct time. “Definitely a little bit differently than other guys just as a smaller guy. I think I always gotta make sure I have body position on them so I can get in their way and kind of just slow them up or use my size just to hold them up a little bit.”
If there is one position that relies on mobility and patience, it’s the defenseman position. Defensemen are seeing most of the ice during the game. They have to know what lanes are open and be ready to make a play or take the chance and shoot the puck. “I think patience is huge. I think the more patience you have with the puck you'll find different things open up. I mean, you wanna be fast and move the puck quick, but sometimes patience will open up different lanes that you didn't see before. Mobility is huge just getting back to pucks first, especially from me as a small guy, I think that's about it seems really valued, somebody who can escape back and get first touch and get the breakout going.”
Staying focused and calm under pressure is a skill that players need to have, especially in tight games and with the competition being bigger and faster every year. “Just resort back to you've been doing this your whole life and you've been around this is my sixth year now, so I've played a lot of games, so I'm just comfortable with it and I know what my talent is and what I could do out there.”
Hollowell played in 56 games in the 2024-2025 season and tallied one goal and 30 assists. Hollowell may be a small defenseman, but he is a depth defenseman.
- Samantha Wismer/Olde City Sports Network
- Photo Credit: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins