Paul Holmgren transitions to Senior Advisor role

According to the Philadelphia Flyers, Paul Holmgren will be switching roles from Flyers’ President to serve as Senior Advisor to Governor of the team Dave Scott and general manager Chuck Fletcher. This move also means Fletcher reports directly to Scott as well as takes on the new title of President of Hockey Operations and General Manager for the team.

Here’s what Holmgren had to say about the transition via the website:

”It’s been an honor to serve this franchise in many different roles throughout my life and I look forward to this next chapter,” said Holmgren. “I approached Dave about my idea to step aside to spend more time with my family. I have complete confidence in Chuck in his new role, leading the Flyers to great things. The Flyers have given so much to me and my family over the years, and I have forged life-long friendships with the many players, coaches, employees and fans who have helped me make Philadelphia home for over 40 years. I would like to thank Dave and Chuck for their efforts to lead this franchise into a bright future and for their continued confidence in me as I take on this new role.”

This pretty much sounds like a retirement, which he more than deserves after being with the team for so long. Holmgren may have retired playing for his home team the Minnesota North Stars in 1985 and spent time with the Hartford Whalers back in the early 1990’s (where he fired Pierre McGuire), but Holmgren will definitely be remembered as a Flyer.

Holmgren’s pretty much done everything imaginable for the Orange and Black over the last 40 seasons: he played for the team, was an assistant coach, the head coach, the director of professional scouting, the director of player personnel, an assistant general manager, general manager of the team, and most recently served as the team’s president. As a player he accrued 138 goals and 171 assists for 309 points (and 1,600 penalty minutes, second only to Rick Tocchet in Flyers’ history) in 500 games with the Flyers after the club selected him 108th overall in the sixth round of the 1975 NHL Amateur Draft. Holmgren also totaled 107 wins over parts of four seasons as Philly’s head coach. He missed out on winning it all twice as a player, as Philly lost to the Montreal Canadiens in 1976 and the New York Islanders in 1980. He missed out behind the bench as an assistant coach in 1987 against the Edmonton Oilers. He also lost as a pro scout in 1997 to the Detroit Red Wings and, of course, as general manager in 2010 to the Chicago Blackhawks.

Holmgren’s move is one of a few that have taken place among the Flyers’ executive management over the last few months. After they added Valerie Camillo from the Washington Nationals back in December, the team also watched long-time front office executive Shawn Tilger leave in April.