If Tomas had been born in Canada, he would have been a much bigger star. The guy was MONEY in front of net. He had Balls of Steel and was not afraid of Anyone. Holmstrom's jersey should hang in the rafters of Little Caesars Arena...🥰
I remember Holmstrom was like the secret PP weapon for Detroit in their big runs. The guy knew his role and he played it perfectly. One of the most effective role players I ever saw.
3 года назад+34
Mickey Redmond used to say that Holmstrom got by far the most goals credited to him the morning after games. Deflection wizard!
I started watching hockey in 2002. I remember the goal that Holmstrom had against Roy in the conference finals where he was falling down and still managed to perfectly deflect the puck through Roys legs.
Isles fan. I always respected him. He was practically immovable in front of the net. Him, Ciccarelli, Andreychuk, and Adam Graves were the best at that
I’ve Beene saying it for years. He’s a Hall Of Famer. Not by stats but because you can’t write the history of hockey without him. That stand in front of the net and screen position that he perfected changed the game forever and was a big reason in 4 Stanley Cups. Ever since Holmstrom every team has rostered a player for that position and the best teams usually have the best unpushable pest in front of the net. The hall of fame is broken in thinking, he was the best to ever play that very important position. It’s like keeping an offensive lineman out of the NFL hall of fame because he didn’t score enough touchdowns.
He was true warrior and the type of player I respetct and like the most no matter what team they play for. Probably took in thousands of cross-checks, jabs, slaps, pucks, sticks, etc but never feared his role of crashing and screening the net.
We need a johan franzen video. Most underrated wings player ever. Had he not ran into injuries we may be talking ab him as one of the best playoff performers
He was a really talented player with the stick when breaking through in Sweden, he never got that chance in the NHL, but embraced the role he got, and excelled at it. Fantastic.
Loved him as a kid and as an adult his game was always amazing to watch him take a beating in front of the net and do it for the team! Also super nice guy got to meet him and such an amazing person!
Holmstrom was also great at puck retrieval. He would often play with the top lines because of that skill. For newer fans you should be aware that playing in front of the net was a lot harder for Holmstrom's era that today. Holmstrom would get hacked, slashed, elbowed, punched, etc. to no end and he would never budge. None of that would be allowed today. Holmstrom was so good in front of the net he would often get falsely called for goalie interference. Lidstrom lost a ton of goals due to those BS interference calls. One of my favorite players of all time.
Most of his teeth were either replaced or had veneers...When he 1st entered the league he had chicklets for teeth - when he retired his smile was much improved.
There was a Canadian guy called Hilton Ruggles (no really) who played most of his career here in GB, regularly hit 50 goals just standing in front of the goalie and took a ton of punishment. You kind of have to love guys like that. Loved that Redwings grit, Holmstrom, Draper and McCarty et al.
He was one of the guys along with Macarty when I was watching the game as a kid that really sold me on the game, I love the idea that you don't have the best skill set on paper but if you just understand the game enough you can find a role on the best of teams
Homer was the rock, so many other players benefited from what he did in "his office", so many goals due to his presence - the most underrated player during the 4 cup run for sure.
I heard a story that Holmstrom went in to the coach's office his first year. "I would like to wear nr 96". Coach: Why? "Because that is the year I started playing the NHL". Coach: No. 4th liners can't make that demand. After the season, after 1 year of screening, getting beaten up, but still never leave his office infront of opponent goalie. Coach: "Holmstrom, here is your jersey. Nr 96, right?" If it is true or not. I don't even care. I just love it. Holmstrom was my favourite growing up.
I'm willing to bet the average length of his goals were about 5 feet, if that. It takes a lot of guts to take abuse in front of the opposition's net, and Homer did it better than anyone in NHL history.
This was spot on and so well said. Well done man! Homer was beyond valuable and to those 4 cups and his value went beyond the stats...as many people know! Thanks for this and taking a look at some of my favorite wings from the past!
As a D-man in my former playing career, you could always tell who was a cut above in front of the net. Guys like Tomas Holmstrom are incredibly valuable to the team. I would always much rather have faced the other teams star player in front of the net than their resilient power forward. Just a bummer a lot of guys like Holmstrom get passed up on nowadays in exchange for a slightly “better” guy without the front net skills/grit. That 1 guy could change the power play from a C to an A just by plopping himself in front of the net.
Homer was the man he got so many goalies mad. Was the best at what he did know one better. The wings won cups because of there 3rd and 4th lines where so good .
Great Red Wing. Always loved Homer. As good as he was screening the goalie, he was equally as good on puck battles along the boards. Hard to knock off the puck, never took a shift off. The Demolition man was a big part of those Cups
I met him in person once and he was really nice. Big body presence outside the net and always got those type of goals. I was always trying to get rebounds like that when I played
Thanks THG. I always appreciate your vids of THG HOF players. Those players around the league that brought their lunchbox to work, clocked in and played their guts out are as memorable to me as the all-stars.
Love Holmstrom, he was such an important piece for Det during the Lidstrom era. Gretzky and Ovie has their offices and as said, Holmstrom had his, always in front of the opposing goalie and took an unreal amount of punishment over the years. Much respect.
He was crazy. Goalies probably hated him. He was parked in front of the net and dodged shots like no ones business. I imagine his lower back is in pain from all those chops from goalies he got. Fearless player
You can count the goals-assists-points but what you didn’t see is all the damage he took in front of the net. He did all the dirty work and was rewarded 4 Stanley Cups.
I still remember when there started to be a small buzz here in Sweden that Detroit was looking at Zetterberg. I went to the Red Wings forum and wrote a small post about him. I can't remember exactly what I wrote, but I knew he would be a star player and praised him as the next Yzerman. I don't think I was too far off.
Loved Homer. Wont ever sniff the HOF, wont get a jersey retired, but you still think really fondly of him. Maybe name a concourse stand after him? He was also a very funny guy in interviews
He was a big fan of candy, and the year he retired Franzen and I think Lidström tried to bribe him into finishing the season with a hockey bag full of candy. Makes me smile when i think of it. LGRW.
Homer also had an inordinate number of goals called back due to the crease rule or suspect interference calls. Used to infuriate me to see a replay of a goal called back in which he was getting cross checked, slashed, or otherwise manhandled and barely touched the goalie (often because he was pushed into him) or even didn’t touch the goalie and yet Homer was called for goaltender interference.
One of those players, that other teams covet. Even though he's not an all star, how many cups does Detroit win if he's not there? One of those playoff performers you need, whether screening, tipping goals in, or disrupting defensive schemes, creating space for teammates
He's the best in front of the net player I've ever watched play, just a massive immovable screening wall of a human that also happened to be a deflection king
1997-98 Re-Union tonight. You can not understate how much a player like this is missed in today's game. There is nobody like him today, particularly for the Red Wings. Let's hope Soderblom develops that touch in front.
You should have told the story about why he wore 96. He famously said it was because that was the year when he came to the Wings. Then Scotty Bowman said he should have taken 98 because that's when he was leaving.
There will never be anyone better than Holmstrom at this, ever. Holmstrom didn’t give a shit about his body as long he the goaltender couldn’t see the puck and he was pissing them off.
With 4 cups I don’t really understand why he couldn’t make it into the hall of fame, granted he’s not an all start but he had a very solid career even in the playoffs, and 4 cups there are still some absolutely great players without cups, but this guy won 4 (technically 3) as a bottom six guy.
I would like career videos of Reijo ruotsalainen who had intresting run with Rangers and was yearly rental for Edmonton at 80s or Jarkko Ruutu who was solid Guy for Canucks and Part of pens when they were started get good...
I've never seen a player get so much abuse from opposing goalies as Holmstrom. Imagine your job is parking in front of the net and getting slashed on the back of the legs with a goalie stick every shift of every game.
He was treated as guilty of there was any doubt. He was robbed of so many goals over his career by refs who called the player and didn't call the game.
The only issue I take is saying the 2007-2008 team was just a good regular season team. They had only lost a handful of games by new year’s and won the presidents trophy.
Holmstrom was someone who benefitted imo from the lockout rule changes, his agitating couldn't be absolutely battered by goalies and defencemen, which to me looks like why his totals get better when older
@@RushAnthem69 yeah I noticed that too, comes with not getting the abuse that he probably got pre-lockout in his agitating very unselfish player and honestly I'd take Holmstrom over most big name scorers at the time, because you only really need 1/2 and then put a team that works as a team together instead of individual stars if that makes sense its why I feel Franzen got his goals, Datsyuk and Zetterberg too although they were all team first guys from what I could tell
I absolutely loved homer. Worst skater in the league but I witnessed him pot 30. Do johan franzen! That 2nd round series against Colorado in08 was legendary
I wish you touched on how awful of a skater Holmer was. It’s even more impressive when you realize all those goals and points were while being the worst skater in the league
If Tomas had been born in Canada, he would have been a much bigger star. The guy was MONEY in front of net. He had Balls of Steel and was not afraid of Anyone. Holmstrom's jersey should hang in the rafters of Little Caesars Arena...🥰
I remember Holmstrom was like the secret PP weapon for Detroit in their big runs. The guy knew his role and he played it perfectly. One of the most effective role players I ever saw.
Mickey Redmond used to say that Holmstrom got by far the most goals credited to him the morning after games. Deflection wizard!
And the most denied due to reputation calls.
One of the greatest net front presences.
One of the best of the modern era at standing in front and one of 5 Wings with his name on all 4 of those cups. LGRW!
I started watching hockey in 2002. I remember the goal that Holmstrom had against Roy in the conference finals where he was falling down and still managed to perfectly deflect the puck through Roys legs.
First goal of game 7 I believe? Lol I remember he scored again later and hadn’t got credit for the goal yet and doc calling him halfway holmstrom lol
Holmstrom really deserves some recognition, excellent pick for a career video.
Holmstrom earned his paycheck. He stood in front of the net and took a lot of abuse. What an effective player.
The definition of "a hockey player's hockey player". The NHL should have a "Holmstrom Trophy" awarded to the league's best blue collar player.
Isles fan. I always respected him. He was practically immovable in front of the net. Him, Ciccarelli, Andreychuk, and Adam Graves were the best at that
Ryan Smyth
@@duaneday5474 I didn't see Ryan Smyth play much(ironically he was an Islander for a brief time). But yeah, he was great power forward.
Holmer deserves this recognition. Excellent video Shannon!
I’ve Beene saying it for years. He’s a Hall Of Famer. Not by stats but because you can’t write the history of hockey without him. That stand in front of the net and screen position that he perfected changed the game forever and was a big reason in 4 Stanley Cups. Ever since Holmstrom every team has rostered a player for that position and the best teams usually have the best unpushable pest in front of the net. The hall of fame is broken in thinking, he was the best to ever play that very important position. It’s like keeping an offensive lineman out of the NFL hall of fame because he didn’t score enough touchdowns.
The Refs were starting to call Homer for goaltender interference outside the crease and not touching the goalie.
He was true warrior and the type of player I respetct and like the most no matter what team they play for. Probably took in thousands of cross-checks, jabs, slaps, pucks, sticks, etc but never feared his role of crashing and screening the net.
Don't forget the farting. Drives goalies crazy. At least it's what I imagine is going on
This man wore so much protection on his back it was practically kevlar lol.
Tough, not stupid. some of those slashes from goalies were brutal.
We need a johan franzen video. Most underrated wings player ever. Had he not ran into injuries we may be talking ab him as one of the best playoff performers
Great point about "tough" not necessarily having to do with dropping your gloves.
He was a favorite. But then, being a Wings fan, a lot of them were lol.
He was a really talented player with the stick when breaking through in Sweden, he never got that chance in the NHL, but embraced the role he got, and excelled at it. Fantastic.
Loved him as a kid and as an adult his game was always amazing to watch him take a beating in front of the net and do it for the team! Also super nice guy got to meet him and such an amazing person!
Lidstrom used to joke about how many goals Homer stole from him 😂
Thanks so much Shannon!
Holmstrom was also great at puck retrieval. He would often play with the top lines because of that skill. For newer fans you should be aware that playing in front of the net was a lot harder for Holmstrom's era that today. Holmstrom would get hacked, slashed, elbowed, punched, etc. to no end and he would never budge. None of that would be allowed today. Holmstrom was so good in front of the net he would often get falsely called for goalie interference. Lidstrom lost a ton of goals due to those BS interference calls. One of my favorite players of all time.
Not only would he not budge, but he wouldn't retaliate.
Holmström and Lidström always ate lunch at the same restaurant and sat at the same table before each home game
Thanks for the recognition Shannon for one the true Hockey warriors... Another lifelong Red Wings player!!
Holmer never wore a visor, stood up to 100 mph slappers, and only lost one tooth in his career.
Must have had the strongest teeth in that era...
Most of his teeth were either replaced or had veneers...When he 1st entered the league he had chicklets for teeth - when he retired his smile was much improved.
You are still alive, Mr. President?
There was a Canadian guy called Hilton Ruggles (no really) who played most of his career here in GB, regularly hit 50 goals just standing in front of the goalie and took a ton of punishment. You kind of have to love guys like that. Loved that Redwings grit, Holmstrom, Draper and McCarty et al.
A Swedish commentator used to say that when Holmström was in front of the net, he was "at his office". That's where he works and stays all day =)
Guys like him help make others look even better by doing the grunt work.
He was one of the guys along with Macarty when I was watching the game as a kid that really sold me on the game, I love the idea that you don't have the best skill set on paper but if you just understand the game enough you can find a role on the best of teams
Homer was the rock, so many other players benefited from what he did in "his office", so many goals due to his presence - the most underrated player during the 4 cup run for sure.
One of My favorites growing up, Always loved his grit and tenacity in front of the net
I remember him coming in wearing #15, then the Wings acquired Dmitri Mironov, and he switch to 96. Legend in his own right.
I heard a story that Holmstrom went in to the coach's office his first year.
"I would like to wear nr 96".
Coach: Why?
"Because that is the year I started playing the NHL".
Coach: No. 4th liners can't make that demand.
After the season, after 1 year of screening, getting beaten up, but still never leave his office infront of opponent goalie.
Coach: "Holmstrom, here is your jersey. Nr 96, right?"
If it is true or not. I don't even care. I just love it. Holmstrom was my favourite growing up.
Thanks for the content as always!
I'm willing to bet the average length of his goals were about 5 feet, if that. It takes a lot of guts to take abuse in front of the opposition's net, and Homer did it better than anyone in NHL history.
Great video on Homer.
This was spot on and so well said. Well done man! Homer was beyond valuable and to those 4 cups and his value went beyond the stats...as many people know! Thanks for this and taking a look at some of my favorite wings from the past!
SO HAPPY to see this video as a long time wings fan
As a D-man in my former playing career, you could always tell who was a cut above in front of the net. Guys like Tomas Holmstrom are incredibly valuable to the team. I would always much rather have faced the other teams star player in front of the net than their resilient power forward. Just a bummer a lot of guys like Holmstrom get passed up on nowadays in exchange for a slightly “better” guy without the front net skills/grit. That 1 guy could change the power play from a C to an A just by plopping himself in front of the net.
Homer was the man he got so many goalies mad. Was the best at what he did know one better. The wings won cups because of there 3rd and 4th lines where so good .
As someone with zero affinity with Detroit. I both loved and loathed Tomas Holmstrom
Nice choice!!! He was the best, if that skate in the blue sh*t wasn't there, he'd easily have 300 goals
Underrated player who I'm ashamed to say I forget about sometimes.
Key piece of those Stanley Cup winning Red Wing teams.
Glad you put him in the THG HoF
Great Red Wing. Always loved Homer. As good as he was screening the goalie, he was equally as good on puck battles along the boards. Hard to knock off the puck, never took a shift off. The Demolition man was a big part of those Cups
I'm fairly certain Tomas Holmstrom received more crosschecks than anyone in their NHL career. He used to get crosschecked 5 times or more PER SHIFT
I met him in person once and he was really nice. Big body presence outside the net and always got those type of goals. I was always trying to get rebounds like that when I played
Thanks THG. I always appreciate your vids of THG HOF players. Those players around the league that brought their lunchbox to work, clocked in and played their guts out are as memorable to me as the all-stars.
Love Holmstrom, he was such an important piece for Det during the Lidstrom era. Gretzky and Ovie has their offices and as said, Holmstrom had his, always in front of the opposing goalie and took an unreal amount of punishment over the years. Much respect.
He was crazy. Goalies probably hated him. He was parked in front of the net and dodged shots like no ones business. I imagine his lower back is in pain from all those chops from goalies he got. Fearless player
He wore the same protection on his back that goalies ware on their chests.
You can count the goals-assists-points but what you didn’t see is all the damage he took in front of the net. He did all the dirty work and was rewarded 4 Stanley Cups.
I still remember when there started to be a small buzz here in Sweden that Detroit was looking at Zetterberg. I went to the Red Wings forum and wrote a small post about him. I can't remember exactly what I wrote, but I knew he would be a star player and praised him as the next Yzerman.
I don't think I was too far off.
Loved Homer. Wont ever sniff the HOF, wont get a jersey retired, but you still think really fondly of him. Maybe name a concourse stand after him? He was also a very funny guy in interviews
He may not be a HOF candidate, but his work in front of the net was so dominating they keep changing the crease rules based on his play.
Love holmstrom. One of the best net front presences ever
Possibly one of the best role players ever. He was better at standing in front of the net than anyone else.
Awesome job as always
the most underrated player of all time miss this guy
Holmer was always a favorite of mine. In my opinion he was vital in Detroits success after the cap.
He was a big fan of candy, and the year he retired Franzen and I think Lidström tried to bribe him into finishing the season with a hockey bag full of candy. Makes me smile when i think of it. LGRW.
Homer also had an inordinate number of goals called back due to the crease rule or suspect interference calls. Used to infuriate me to see a replay of a goal called back in which he was getting cross checked, slashed, or otherwise manhandled and barely touched the goalie (often because he was pushed into him) or even didn’t touch the goalie and yet Homer was called for goaltender interference.
Thanks THG
One of those players, that other teams covet. Even though he's not an all star, how many cups does Detroit win if he's not there?
One of those playoff performers you need, whether screening, tipping goals in, or disrupting defensive schemes, creating space for teammates
Modeled my style of play from Holmstrom. He definitely is a player you would want on your team! Shannon, perhaps could you do a video on Darcy Tucker?
Fun thing about Holmstrom is that 96 his team won SHL playoffs before lhim eaving for Detroit, so far that teams only gold to date
zetterberg datsyuk holmstrom lidstrom rafalski was one of the best 5 man units in red wings history
Deadly
i loved holmstrom growing up, but of course i loved all Wings lol
He's the best in front of the net player I've ever watched play, just a massive immovable screening wall of a human that also happened to be a deflection king
1997-98 Re-Union tonight. You can not understate how much a player like this is missed in today's game. There is nobody like him today, particularly for the Red Wings. Let's hope Soderblom develops that touch in front.
You should have told the story about why he wore 96. He famously said it was because that was the year when he came to the Wings. Then Scotty Bowman said he should have taken 98 because that's when he was leaving.
Homer was a dude! One of my favorite Wings of all time, that's a big feat considering how many great players there have been in Hockeytown.
I'm proud he made the THGHOF
There will never be anyone better than Holmstrom at this, ever. Holmstrom didn’t give a shit about his body as long he the goaltender couldn’t see the puck and he was pissing them off.
It's easy to figure out which years he was on the top line with prime datsyuk and zetterberg lol
Yeah and helped those guys get those goals with the way he retrieved the puck. He was a puck hound on the euro twins line.
To play on a line with Datsyuk and Zetterberg requires a level of skill he doesn’t get credit for usually
With 4 cups I don’t really understand why he couldn’t make it into the hall of fame, granted he’s not an all start but he had a very solid career even in the playoffs, and 4 cups there are still some absolutely great players without cups, but this guy won 4 (technically 3) as a bottom six guy.
2008 he was on the first line.
Insane player that could take insane amounts of punishment...
The good ol' days of Detroit
Feels like Homer could've put up Gretzky numbers with how many reputation goalie interference calls he'd get
What's insane is that Holmstrom scored exactly half of his goals on the power play.
my personal favorite hockey player, so good in front of the net they had to pay the refs to call bogus penalties
I would like career videos of Reijo ruotsalainen who had intresting run with Rangers and was yearly rental for Edmonton at 80s or Jarkko Ruutu who was solid Guy for Canucks and Part of pens when they were started get good...
I've never seen a player get so much abuse from opposing goalies as Holmstrom. Imagine your job is parking in front of the net and getting slashed on the back of the legs with a goalie stick every shift of every game.
He was treated as guilty of there was any doubt. He was robbed of so many goals over his career by refs who called the player and didn't call the game.
The only issue I take is saying the 2007-2008 team was just a good regular season team. They had only lost a handful of games by new year’s and won the presidents trophy.
It been a long time hearing that name!
holmstrom may not make the hof but he will always be beloved by those that remember his time on the team here
He was the biggest annoyance possible in front of the net.
Holmstrom was someone who benefitted imo from the lockout rule changes, his agitating couldn't be absolutely battered by goalies and defencemen, which to me looks like why his totals get better when older
As he got older his ice time picked up too…..
@@RushAnthem69 yeah I noticed that too, comes with not getting the abuse that he probably got pre-lockout in his agitating very unselfish player and honestly I'd take Holmstrom over most big name scorers at the time, because you only really need 1/2 and then put a team that works as a team together instead of individual stars if that makes sense its why I feel Franzen got his goals, Datsyuk and Zetterberg too although they were all team first guys from what I could tell
I absolutely loved homer. Worst skater in the league but I witnessed him pot 30. Do johan franzen! That 2nd round series against Colorado in08 was legendary
I believe that Holmstrom WILL end up in the Hall of Fame of Swedish Hockey one day; unless he is in there already.
Could you do another Detroit favorite and do Terry Sawchuk please:)
Reminded me of Andrei Kovalenko.
I wish you touched on how awful of a skater Holmer was. It’s even more impressive when you realize all those goals and points were while being the worst skater in the league
i have the same jersey guy!
What do you think about the Oilers developing Puljujarvi into a Holmstrom style of play?
I NEED SOMEONE TO EXPLAIN TO ME HIW PAT VERBEEK AND DALE HUNTER ARE NOT IN THE HOF PLEASE.
Do Jyrki "Sonja" Lumme
Best NHL player in front of the net that isn't named Phil Esposito.
How you gonna do a Red Wings player that isn't Rafalski