University of Minnesota Athletics
Paul Holmgren Named to World Cup of Hockey Staff
8/6/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Hockey
MINNEAPOLIS (GopherSports.com) - Gopher Hockey alum and Philadelphia Flyers president Paul Holmgren has been named assistant general manager of Team USA for the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, USA Hockey announced today.
The 2016 World Cup of Hockey is set for Sept. 17-Oct. 1 in Toronto. In addition to the U.S., the eight teams participating in the event include Canada, the Czech Republic, Finland, Russia, Sweden, Team Europe and the North American Youngstars.
The World Cup of Hockey has been conducted on two previous occasions, with the U.S. winning the first edition in 1996 and Canada taking the title in 2004.
A native of St. Paul, Minn., Holmgren played at the University of Minnesota during the 1974-75 campaign and helped the Maroon & Gold sweep the Western Conference Hockey Association season, winning both regular-season and playoff titles. The Gophers earned their second of three-straight NCAA Frozen Four berths that season and eventually fell in the national championship game. A forward, he tallied 31 points (10 goals, 21 assists) in 37 games.
More on Holmgren from USA Hockey…
Widely involved with USA Hockey since the 1970s, Paul Holmgren is currently the president of the NHL's Philadelphia Flyers, a position he's held since May of 2014.
Holmgren served on the U.S. Men's National Team Advisory Group from 2009-14 and was the assistant general manager of the 2006 U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team. In addition, he served as the general manager of the 2006 U.S. Men's National Team and was an assistant coach for Team USA at the 1998 Olympic Winter Games and the 1996 World Cup of Hockey.
As a player, Holmgren competed for the U.S. at the 1974 IIHF World Junior Championship and was invited to play on Team USA for the 1981 Canada Cup, but could not due to injury.
Holmgren played 10 seasons for the Flyers and the Minnesota North Stars. He went on to serve as assistant coach, head coach, assistant general manager, and general manger of the Flyers before assuming his current position as president. Holmgren received the Lester Patrick Trophy in 2014.
