Published: May 10, 2008 11:52 pm            

Philadelphia GM played in region

PITTSBURGH — Philadelphia Flyers General Manager Paul Holmgren’s ties to western Pennsylvania hockey stretch back 30 years.

Holmgren started his professional playing career with the 1975-76 Johnstown Jets.

After a season at the University of Minnesota, Holmgren joined a Jets squad attempting to defend the NAHL Lockhart Cup won the previous season.

In only six early season games with Johnstown, the 6-foot-3 forward made an impact, scoring three goals with 12 assists and 15 points.

That quick start led to a call-up to the Minnesota Fighting Saints in the World Hockey Association, where Holmgren had 14 goals, 30 points and 121 penalty minutes in 51 games. The St. Paul, Minn., native also played in one NHL game with the Flyers that year, beginning a run of nine NHL seasons with Philadelphia and two more with the Minnesota North Stars.

While in Johnstown, Holmgren shared the top floor of a large home with current Washington Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau and Dave “Killer” Hanson, one of the infamous “Slap Shot” movie Hanson Brothers.

Some other notable Jets on that 1975-76 team included 50-goal scorer Hank Taylor, Jean Tetreault, Galen Head, Vern Campigotto, Guido Tenesi, Reg Bechtold and Dave Birch.

q q q

Coastal ties: Flyers goaltender Martin Biron had a brief stint in the East Coast Hockey League with the South Carolina Stingrays.

Biron played two games with the Rays in 1997-98, going 0-1-1 with a 2.09 goals against average and .929 save percentage in a pair of late-February home games against Jacksonville and Hampton Roads.

The netminder spent the rest of the year in the AHL with Rochester, winning 14 games with five shutouts.

Biron broke into the NHL with the Buffalo Sabres and became the fourth-youngest goaltender to start an NHL game when he debuted against the Penguins on Dec. 26, 1995.

He was 18 years, 133 days old.

In 2003-04 Biron set a franchise record with three consecutive shutouts and a scoreless streak of 221:58.

The Flyers acquired Biron in February 2007 for a second-round pick in the 2007 draft.

q q q

Joey’s return: Philadelphia assistant coach Joe Mullen certainly is a familiar face to Penguins fans.

The first-season Flyers assistant played 17 NHL seasons including Stanley Cup-winning runs with the Penguins in 1991 and 1992 (he also won with Calgary in 1989).

        

• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.