October 6, 2011
NHL Opening Night: Is Philadelphia Flyers GM Paul Holmgren on the Hot Seat?
Paul Holmgren stirred up quite a bit of controversy this offseason. The Philly fans were less than ecstatic about the idea of losing both Mike Richards and Jeff Carter, who had established themselves as the centerpieces of the franchise despite being in their mid 20s. However, Holmgren’s job is not to please the fans, it is to win hockey games. These bold moves certainly put the pressure on Homer, though.
The Flyers are entering this season with a new captain and new franchise players. Mike Richards and Jeff Carter were traded away to create more cap space to bring in Ilya Bryzgalov. Normally, a move that drastic would put a GM firmly on the hot seat. However, Ed Snider was a proponent of bringing in a goaltender, so Holmgren was simply coming through for the owner.
That being said, the team is still going to compete in the Eastern Conference this season. They may have taken a hit offensively by getting rid of Richards and Carter, but the upgrade in goal could very well be worth it for the club.
Just before rosters were finalized for the season, Holmgren made another questionable move, placing Blair Betts on waivers. Betts is an excellent face off man and defensive player that gave the Flyers incredible depth. The Montreal Canadiens claimed him off waivers.
Holmgren is seemingly trying to work his young players into the lineup immediately, having a huge amount of faith in his scouting team. Brayden Schenn and Sean Couturier are likely to get lengthy NHL looks this year.
The pressure is certainly on Paul Holmgren, but he will have a few years to make this young team a Stanley Cup contender.
Related posts:
- Philadelphia Flyers To Reward GM Paul Holmgren with Contract Extension
- Philadelphia Flyers Offseason: GM Paul Holmgren’s Vision for 2011
- Philadelphia Flyers Offseason: GM Paul Holmgren’s Vision for 2011 and Beyond
- Paul Holmgren: 5 Reasons the Flyers GM Will Be on the Hot Seat in 2011-12
- Philadelphia Flyers: Is Paul Holmgren Lucky to Still Have His Job?
