The Hockey News’s Sam Stockton spoke with Justin Holl regarding his transition from Toronto to Detroit, and Holl offered an intriguing conversation:
After eight seasons in the Toronto Maple Leafs organization, defenseman Justin Holl is starting fresh in Detroit, having signed a three-year, $10.2 million deal to join the Red Wings on July 1st.
As Holl tells it, the early signs out of his new home have all been positive.
“Things have been great,” the 31-year-old Minnesotan tells The Hockey News after Wednesday’s practice. “All the guys have been very welcoming. I didn’t know anybody when I came here, but they’ve been very welcoming. And it’s a really nice group in there. Being in Michigan is very similar to being in Minnesota. Midwest feels pretty familiar.”
In Toronto, Holl was a regular focal point in the crazed discourse around the Maple Leafs’ inability to embark on a deep playoff run, becoming something of a whipping boy in the local media for perceived defensive vulnerability. Back in July, he mentioned that the market forced him to develop “thick skin,” an attribute he can carry with him a few hours southwest by car to Detroit.
Despite all that noise and with a bit more time to reflect, Holl can say that he looks back fondly on his years with the Leafs: “I really enjoyed my time in Toronto. We had great teams, great guys on the team. We experienced a lot success as a team, so I have nothing but good things to say about Toronto. That being said, this is a business, and I’m very happy to be in Detroit, and I think we have a good looking squad for next year.”
