Paul Holmgren

Infobox Ice Hockey Player


image_size =
position = Right Wing
played_for = Minnesota Fighting Saints
Philadelphia Flyers
Minnesota North Stars
shot = Right
height_ft = 6
height_in = 3
weight_lb = 210
nationality = United States
birth_date = birth date and age|1955|12|2
birth_place = Saint Paul, MN, U.S.
draft = 108th overall
draft_year = 1975
draft_team = Philadelphia Flyers
wha_draft = 67th overall
wha_draft_year = 1974
wha_draft_team = Edmonton Oilers
career_start = 1975
career_end = 1985

Paul Howard Holmgren (born December 2, 1955 in Saint Paul, Minnesota) is a retired American professional ice hockey player and is currently the General Manager of the Philadelphia Flyers and the AHL Philadelphia Phantoms.

Playing career

Holmgren was selected by the Edmonton Oilers 67th overall in the 1974 WHA Amateur Draft. He never played for Edmonton as his WHA rights were traded to the Minnesota Fighting Saints. A year later he was selected by the Philadelphia Flyers 108th overall in the 1975 NHL Amateur Draft. He began his professional career with the Fighting Saints in 1975–76, but the team folded on February 27, 1976. He signed with the Flyers shortly after and made his NHL debut a month later. Holmgren's hectic first professional season nearly ended in tragic fashion. While playing for the Richmond Robins, the Flyers AHL affiliate at the time, he suffered a scratched cornea. He was rushed to surgery in a Boston hospital and an allergic reaction to the anesthetic nearly cost him his life.

Holmgren spent the next eight seasons in Philadelphia and was annually among the team's leaders in penalty minutes and was also able to contribute offense. He posted career highs in goals (30) and points (65) in 1979–80 and added 10 goals and 10 assists during the Flyers playoff run. His three goals in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Finals was the first time a U.S.-born player scored a hat trick in a Cup Finals game. The next season, he was invited to the 1981 NHL All-Star game and also the United States 1981 Canada Cup team (he separated his shoulder at Team USA's Canada Cup training camp in August 1981 and missed the tournament itself as well as the start of the 1981–82 NHL season). Holmgren was traded to the Minnesota North Stars mid-way through 1983–84. He left Philly with 1,600 penalty minutes, the most in Flyers franchise history up until Rick Tocchet broke the record during the 1991–92 season. He only played 27 regular season and 15 playoff games with the North Stars as he retired after the 1984–85 season.

Coaching/Management career

Holmgren immediately moved into coaching upon retiring, becoming an Assistant Coach with the Flyers under second-year coach Mike Keenan. After Keenan was fired following the 1987–88 season, Holmgren became the first former Flyer to be named the team's Head Coach. During his first season as coach the Flyers made an unexpected run to the Wales Conference Finals before bowing out to the Montreal Canadiens in six games. This playoff run included an improbable 4 games to 3 second-round victory over Mario Lemieux's Pittsburgh Penguins; with the clincher coming on the road in a thrilling game 7. The team missed the playoffs the next two seasons, however, and midway through his fourth season as coach he was fired. He remained with the organization as a scout until he moved on to the Hartford Whalers, where he spent time as Head Coach and Interim General Manager of the club.

He returned to Philadelphia during the 1995–96 season as the Director of Pro Scouting. He was named the Director of Player Personnel following the 1996–97 season and was named Assistant General Manager following the 1998–99 season. He served in that position under General Manager Bob Clarke until Clarke resigned a month into the 2006–07 season. Holmgren was named General Manager of the club and has been signed on through the 2008–09 season.

Some of Holmgren's most notable transacations to date include the acquisitions of Martin Biron, Braydon Coburn, Daniel Briere, Scott Hartnell, Joffrey Lupul, Jason Smith and Kimmo Timonen.

Awards

* 1981 - Played in NHL All-Star Game

Records

* 1980 - First U.S.-born player to score a hat trick in a Stanley Cup Finals game

Career statistics

International play

Played for United States in:
*1974 World Junior Championships

International statistics

References

External links

*hockeydb|2343
* [http://www.hockeydraftcentral.com/1975/75108.html Profile at Hockey Draft Central]
*legendsofhockey|12981