Holland also received a pair of hockey pants to complete the set for his test run in the new gear. The jersey, however, is something he's saving for the right moment.
"Hopefully, I earn the right to put on the real jersey come the season and then it'll really hit home," admitted Holland, who boasts 35 goals and 81 points in 243 career NHL games with the Ducks, Maple Leafs and Coyotes since making his debut with Anaheim in 2011-12. "It's cool the first time you wear it with your skates. You kind of put it all together. Cracking that opening-night roster and putting on that real jersey would bring that excitement again."
Holland certainly wasn't lacking in motivation heading into the offseason following an admittedly disappointing year. After seeing limited playing time in Toronto early on last season and suiting up for just eight games, Holland was dealt to Arizona on December 9, where he finished out the 2016-17 campaign before becoming an unrestricted free agent on Canada Day.
"Obviously, last year was a bit of an 'off' season for me. I wasn't happy with how things went. It was tough for me to find my footing and I was never sure if I fit in. I was kind of always on the outside looking in," explained Holland, who found himself watching from the press box in Toronto as the Maple Leafs' young studs blossomed and put up big numbers offensively. "I also didn't really appreciate the mental toll the trade was taking on me, the highs and the lows - and there were a lot of lows.
"One of my goals this year is to kind of find my feet again and be more myself around the rink. I'd like to come in and help complement the guys who are already there and help lead the team into the postseason," added Holland, who put up a career-high 27 points (9G, 18A) in 65 games in 2015-16. "I also really want to focus on being able to bring it every night. If you want to keep your job in the NHL, you have to do that."
In order to switch things up preparation-wise, Holland rented out his downtown Toronto condo and returned home to Caledon to train for the summer. Unlike previous years, though, Holland elected to work out on his own as opposed to with a group of fellow NHLers. It was a change Holland insisted he had to make.
"I'm out of the downtown madness, which I really wanted this summer. I didn't really want to be the guy walking around and people seeing the ex-Maple Leaf. It's a big hockey market. I just wanted to remove myself from that for a few months," said Holland, on his temporary move back to his roots. "I've been pretty secluded this summer. Training on my own has been refreshing. I've been going hard for quite a few months and I'm feeling really good."