Getting to know: Paul Holmgren

Before his days as the Flyers GM, Paul Holmgren played 527 NHL games with Philadelphia and Minnesota, collecting 144 goals and 323 points. (Photo by Bruce Bennett Studios/Getty Images)

BY MARK MALINOWSKI

Status: Flyers GM

Ht: 6-3 Wt: 210

DOB: December 2, 1955 In: St. Paul, Minn.

Childhood Heroes: "Well, I was a big baseball fan, I loved baseball when I was a kid. And my heroes were probably Harmon Killebrew and Zoilo Versalles, two guys who played for the Minnesota Twins."

Hockey Inspirations: "My brother Mark."

Hobbies/Interests: "Fish."

Nickname: "(Any besides Homer?) Nope, that's the only one."

Favorite Movies: "Shawshank Redemption and Slapshot."

Favorite TV Shows: "Seinfeld."

Musical Tastes: "Oldies."

Early Hockey Memory: "I can remember my brother, who passed away and was a year older than me. We grew up and played together all the way through high school. I have a lot of fond memories of that."

First Job: "I worked at a sod farm when I was 15."

First Car: "Chevrolet Monte Carlo, 1976."

Favorite Meal: "Still lasagna."

Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: "Mint chocolate chip."

Greatest Sports Moment: "Playing in the Stanley Cup finals in 1980."

Most Painful Moment: "That same year [smiles]. Losing in the Stanley Cup finals in 1980 (to the New York Islanders)."

Closest Hockey Friends: "Kevin McCarthy, Bob Clarke, Ron Hextall."

Funniest Players Encountered: "Rick MacLeish, Bob Kelly, Kevin McCarthy."

Toughest Competitors: "Terry O'Reilly, Wayne Cashman, Clark Gillies and Bobby Nystrom."

Toughest Fighters: "For me, Garry Howatt [smiles]. I could never get him off my chest. And he was small; he was smaller than I was. Even if you were to win, you look like you lose because you're fighting a smaller guy. He was a hard-nosed guy. I ended up having to fight him a lot and I just don't feel like I ever beat him [smiles]."

Favorite Arena(s): "Today I like the rink the Wild play in. It is one of the nicest ones. But I've always enjoyed going to Toronto. I liked playing in Maple Leaf Gardens."

Favorite Vacation Spot: "Northern Minnesota."

Embarrassing Hockey Memory: "Probably like 1981, we came back and won Game 6 of the playoff series against Calgary and everyone in hockey expected us to beat them in Game 7. We just played terrible and they played great and beat us. I don't know if that's embarrassing, but that's what comes to mind."

People Qualities Most Admired: "Integrity."

Career Accomplishments: NHL right wing 1975-1985; played in 1981 NHL All-Star Game; scored 144 goals in 527 NHL games; was the first U.S.-born player to score a hat trick in a Stanley Cup final game (1980 Game 2 vs. Islanders).

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