Paul Holmgren, Rick Tocchet To Be Inducted Into Flyers Hall Of Fame
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Flyers legends Paul Holmgren and Rick Tocchet are headed to the organization's Hall of Fame, the team announced Thursday afternoon. The pair will be inducted during a pregame ceremony before the Flyers' Nov. 16 game against the Calgary Flames at the Wells Fargo Center.
Holmgren and Tocchet were voted in by a committee of Flyers Hall of Fame members, alumni, the front office, broadcasters, and members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association's Philadelphia chapter.
"The members of the Flyers Hall of Fame are the cornerstones of this franchise, and for us, there is no higher honor than induction into this exclusive club," Flyers Governor Dave Scott said. "Paul Holmgren and Rick Tocchet are Flyers legends, and we're excited to add their names to a permanent place of honor in the Wells Fargo Center rafters, where they will be remembered by generations of Flyers fans to come."
The 65-year-old Holmgren enters the Flyers Hall of Fame after serving the organization in almost every capacity possible for over four decades. He's the only person in the organization's history to play for the team and serve as an assistant coach, head coach, general manager, and team president.
Holmgren spent eight years as the Flyers' general manager, from 2006 to 2014. Holmgren took over for Bobby Clarke eight games into the 2006-07 season when the Flyers finished with the league's worst record and helped turn the ship around immediately with an Eastern Conference Finals appearance in 2007-08.
Overall, the Flyers were 307-234-73 with six playoff appearances and a trip to the 2010 Stanley Cup Final with Holmgren as GM. As a player, Holmgren played 500 games with the Flyers and registered 309 points. He ranks second in franchise history with 1,600 penalty minutes.
Holmgren is also part of the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame's Class of 2021.
Tocchet spent parts of 11 seasons with the Flyers, once serving as the team's captain. He scored 232 goals and 508 points in 621 regular-season games and leads the franchise in penalty minutes with 1,815. Tocchet also recorded 60 points in 95 playoff games with the Flyers.
Tocchet's achievements include two 40-goal seasons and a career-high 96-point campaign in 1989-90 with Philadelphia. He's one of just three players in NHL history with 96 or more points and 196 or more PIM in the same season -- he finished 1989-90 with 196 PIM.
The last member to be inducted into the Flyers' Hall of Fame was Jimmy Watson on Feb. 29, 2016. It currently has 25 members.
