Tomas Holmström

Bengt Tomas Holmström (Template:IPA; born 23 January 1973) is a Swedish former professional ice hockey left winger who played his entire National Hockey League (NHL) career with the Detroit Red Wings, with whom he won four Stanley Cup championships; in 1997, 1998, 2002 and 2008.

During his playing career, Holmström was widely considered one of the NHL's best at screening the opposition's goaltender, as well as for his physical presence in front of the opposition's net.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Playing career

Holmström was first noticed by Detroit Red Wings scout Håkan Andersson in 1993 during a Swedish national team selection camp, where Holmström missed the cut, then again the next year while playing with Boden, where his coach, Niklas Wikegård, told Andersson that Holmström was the team's best player.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He was then drafted 257th overall by Detroit in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft and began playing for the Red Wings in the 1996–97 season. During the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Holmström returned to Sweden to play for his old team, Luleå HF, in the Swedish top flight league, the Elitserien.

Holmström was inducted into the Piteå Wall of Fame in his hometown in 2006.

On 7 April 2007 Holmström scored his 30th goal of the 2006–07 season against the Chicago Blackhawks, reaching the 30-goal plateau in a season for the first time in his career.

Holmström with Detroit in 2007.

Holmström scored 12 points during the 2008 Stanley Cup playoffs as the Red Wings won the Stanley Cup for the fourth time in 11 years over the Pittsburgh Penguins. On his day with the Cup, he had his cousin's daughter baptized in it.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

During the 2009–10 season, Holmström was initially selected to play in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia. A knee injury sustained on 13 February 2010, in a game against the Ottawa Senators, however, prevented him from playing in the tournament. It was announced the next day, 14 February, that he would be replaced by friend and Red Wing teammate Johan Franzén.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The announcement came from Sweden Head Coach Bengt-Åke Gustafsson. On 4 June 2010, during the season's subsequent off-season, Holmström agreed on a two-year contract extension to remain in Detroit after an impressive season in which he scored 25 goals, second on the team only to sniper Pavel Datsyuk's 27; Holmström also scored a team-high 13 goals on the power play.

On 12 February 2012 Holmström became only the sixth Red Wing and 272nd NHL player to play 1,000 games.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

After the retirement of long-time Red Wings defenceman Nicklas Lidström at the end of the 2011–12 season, Holmström became the last active player from the 1997 and 1998 Stanley Cup-winning Detroit teams to still be active with the team. However, he didn't play a single game after Lidström announced his retirement.

On 22 January 2013 Holmström announced his retirement from professional hockey just hours before Detroit's home opener at Joe Louis Arena against the Dallas Stars in the lockout-shortened season.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Template:As of, Holmström held the following records with the Red Wings: sixth in most regular season games played, fourth in playoff games played and 13th in points scored.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Playing style

During his playing career, Holmström was known for his presence in front of the opposition's goal and his ability to screen the opposing team's goaltender.<ref name="Tip ins">Template:Cite web Template:Dead link</ref> Because he had to withstand teammates' shots towards goal, as well as efforts from opponents to vacate him from in front of the net, Holmström wore additional padding to protect his body.<ref name="Padding">Template:Cite web</ref> During a playoff series against the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2009, Detroit Head Coach Mike Babcock said of Holmström, "I think there's [defencemen] out there who think they might actually get to him. That's just not possible."<ref name="Mission Impossible">Template:Cite web</ref>

Due to his obstructive playing style and close proximity to goalies and the crease, Holmström attained a reputation and was often charged with goaltender interference penalties as well as occasionally having goals called back because of his proximity to the goaltender's crease. Holmström himself, as well as Red Wings TV announcers Mickey Redmond and Ken Daniels, often questioned the legitimacy of these calls by the on-ice officials.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Holmström was known to many fans in Detroit by the nickname of "Homer." He acquired the nickname "Demolition Man" while playing in Sweden, where he was also called "Holma."

International play

Holmström has participated in four international tournaments for Sweden:

• 1996 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships
• 2002 Winter Olympics
• 2004 World Cup of Hockey
• 2006 Winter Olympics

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1989–90	Piteå HC	SWE II		9	1	0	1	4		—	—	—	—	—
1990–91	Piteå HC	SWE II		26	5	4	9	16		—	—	—	—	—
1991–92	Piteå HC	SWE II		31	15	12	27	44		—	—	—	—	—
1992–93	Piteå HC	SWE II		31	17	15	32	30		—	—	—	—	—
1993–94	Bodens IK	SWE II		34	23	16	39	86		9	3	3	6	24
1994–95	Luleå HF	SEL		40	14	14	28	56		8	1	2	3	20
1995–96	Luleå HF	SEL		34	12	11	23	78		11	6	2	8	22
1996–97	Adirondack Red Wings	AHL		6	3	1	4	7		—	—	—	—	—
1996–97	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		47	6	3	9	33		1	0	0	0	0
1997–98	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		57	5	17	22	44		22	7	12	19	16
1998–99	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		82	13	21	34	69		10	4	3	7	4
1999–2000	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		72	13	22	35	43		9	3	1	4	16
2000–01	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		73	16	24	40	40		6	1	3	4	8
2001–02	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		69	8	18	26	58		23	8	3	11	8
2002–03	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		74	20	20	40	62		4	1	1	2	4
2003–04	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		67	15	15	30	38		12	2	2	4	10
2004–05	Luleå HF	SEL		47	14	16	30	50		4	0	0	0	18
2005–06	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		81	29	30	59	66		6	1	2	3	12
2006–07	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		77	30	22	52	59		15	5	3	8	14
2007–08	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		59	20	20	40	58		21	4	8	12	26
2008–09	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		53	14	23	37	38		23	2	5	7	22
2009–10	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		68	25	20	45	60		12	4	3	7	12
2010–11	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		73	18	19	37	62		11	3	4	7	8
2011–12	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		74	11	13	24	40		5	1	1	2	2
SEL totals				121	40	41	81	184		23	7	4	11	60
NHL totals				1,026	243	287	530	769		180	46	51	97	162

International

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1996	Sweden	WC	6th		6	1	0	1	12
2002	Sweden	OG	5th		4	1	0	1	2
2004	Sweden	WCH	5th		4	3	2	5	8
2006	Sweden	OG	Template:Gold1		8	1	3	4	10
Senior totals					22	6	5	11	32

Awards

• Elitserien gold medal with Luleå HF in 1996;
• Named to the Swedish All-Star Team in 1996;
• Gold medal at the Winter Olympics in 2006;
• Four-time Stanley Cup winner (1997, 1998, 2002, 2008).

See also

• List of NHL players with 1,000 games played

External links

• Template:Ice hockey stats