Flyers sign Holmgren to extension

By Bob Herpen

Philadelphia, PA (The Phanatic Magazine) - The Philadelphia Flyers and general manager Paul Holmgren agreed to a three-year contract extension through the 2011-12 season on Monday.

"I am very proud of the job that Paul has done. He totally revamped our teams and brought us back to respectability," said Flyers chairman Ed Snider. "I am positive he will continue to improve our team and to make sure that we are in contention for the Stanley Cup. He clearly was the general manager of the year this past season. He is truly deserving of this contract extension."

Holmgren took over the GM role on October 22, 2006 when Bob Clarke resigned and head coach Ken Hitchcock was fired after the Flyers got off to a rocky 1-6-1 start.

In less than two seasons, Holmgren reshaped a struggling young roster into a Cup contender.

Although the club limped to a franchise-and-NHL-worst 22-48-12 record in 2006-07, the Flyers recovered to post a 42-29-11 mark last season. Despite a fourth-place finish in the Atlantic Division, the team made a surprise run as the sixth playoff seed to the Eastern Conference finals where the club fell to the rival Pittsburgh Penguins.

Holmgren was a rough-and-tumble Flyers winger from 1975-84, an assistant coach from 1985-88, then the club's head coach from June, 1988 through December, 1991. He guided the club to a record of 107-126-31 in four seasons plus a memorable run to the Wales Conference finals in 1989.

The native of St. Paul, Minnesota was a sixth-round pick by the Flyers in 1975 draft. After a brief stint in the World Hockey Association, he played in 500 games over parts of nine seasons for the franchise and posted 138 goals with 171 assists for 309 points. His 1,600 penalty minutes rank second to Rick Tocchet in club history.

Holmgren finished his playing career with the Minnesota North Stars, recording a total of 144 goals and 179 assists for 323 points in 527 games. Despite a reputation as a feared enforcer during his playing days, he became the first American-born player to record a hat trick in a Stanley Cup Final game, doing so in 1980 when the Flyers fell to the New York Islanders.

The 52-year-old also coached the Hartford Whalers in parts of four seasons from 1992-93 to '95-96, serving as general manager for part of the tenure, and compiled a coaching record of 59-93-14.