44 replies to this topic

[titanium2]

Funny pic aside I have a question for everyone:

Who are some other players in the league that have a skill set comparable to Tomas Holmstrom's?

He provides a net-front presence, makes awesome deflections and sometimes has an uncanny ability to anticipate where the puck will go after shots hit off people, which is part of what allows him to retrieve pucks so well.

He doesn't just do those things on the power play but also 5-on-5. Franzen, for example, can play that role on the power play but he's more of a shooter when he plays 5-on-5.

The only comparable names that come to mind are Ryan Smyth and Patric Hornqvist. Ryan Clowe plays the role but I've only seen him do it on the PP. On the Red Wings, Dan Cleary is probably the closest the Wings have to a Holmstrom replacement. But who else is there?

[redwingfan19]

i'd say franzen plays the holmstrom role pretty good. Brendan Morrow also comes to mind. Dustin Byfuglien you could throw in there too, but homer will always be the master

[swedishseven]

Franzen filled in good when homer was out,you could tell he'd been learning some lessons from him at least

[esteef]

esteef

[titanium2]

Franzen filled in good when homer was out,you could tell he'd been learning some lessons from him at least

True but he's better as a threat from the slot or basically any shooting position since he has one of the best shots on the team. I'd rather he not be stationary in front of the net.

[adubs]

i'd say franzen plays the holmstrom role pretty good. Brendan Morrow also comes to mind. Dustin Byfuglien you could throw in there too, but homer will always be the master

Way to insult Morrow.

[titanium2]

Way to insult Morrow.

What do you mean?

[Finnish Wing]

Vesa Viitakoski.

[CenterIce]

Patric Hornqvist out of Nashville supposedly idolized Holmstrom and patterns his game after him.

[PROBIE4PREZ]

Jovo does it pretty good on the Yotes PP

[soultrain]

did homer learn to play that style from (going way back) dino ciccarelli? because dino was filling that gap before bowman axed him

[toby91_ca]

did homer learn to play that style from (going way back) dino ciccarelli? because dino was filling that gap before bowman axed him

Perhaps, but not from playing with him, Dino was gone to Tampa Bay before Homer entered the NHL.

[Crymson]

I hear Jake Ryan plays with a similar style. He has been trying to take Homer's roster spot for awhile.

[Konnan511]

I hear Jake Ryan plays with a similar style. He has been trying to take Homer's roster spot for awhile.

First two names that come to mind are Smyth and Buttmuffin

[kylee]

in my eyes no one plays like Holmstrom. and i think we all should see that, in terms of what he does and how he does it, no one is his replacement. not cleary, not franzen. Homer is quite special.

[titanium2]

in my eyes no one plays like Holmstrom. and i think we all should see that, in terms of what he does and how he does it, no one is his replacement. not cleary, not franzen. Homer is quite special.

I kind of agree. I was just thinking the other day, "Who can replace Holmstrom?" Nobody. Franzen should only play that role on the power play. Cleary is a warrior who's absolutely willing to take a lot of punishment in front of the net and battle for pucks. Yet, he doesn't draw as much attention from defensemen and isn't as good as Homer when it comes to following the puck.

I hope Lidstrom and Holmstrom never age and thus never have to retire. Both are truly original and one of a kind.

[DangleDangleBeach]

I kind of agree. I was just thinking the other day, "Who can replace Holmstrom?" Nobody. Franzen should only play that role on the power play. Cleary is a warrior who's absolutely willing to take a lot of punishment in front of the net and battle for pucks. Yet, he doesn't draw as much attention from defensemen and isn't as good as Homer when it comes to following the puck.

I hope Lidstrom and Holmstrom never age and thus never have to retire. Both are truly original and one of a kind.

ryan smyth is the next best thing... probably more effective 5 on 5 though.

[titanium2]

ryan smyth is the next best thing... probably more effective 5 on 5 though.

Get it done, Kenny!

Yes I know his contract situation. I can still hope though.

[newfy]

Perhaps, but not from playing with him, Dino was gone to Tampa Bay before Homer entered the NHL.

I would say Dino is the master of it more then Homer. Dino got 600 goals playing that style.

[kook_10]

Perhaps, but not from playing with him, Dino was gone to Tampa Bay before Homer entered the NHL.

from an article last fall...
http://blog.mlive.com/snapshots/2009/10/gensis_of_red_wings_net-front.html

And while Mike Babcock certainly got the Wings back to basics, Detroit's genesis as a team that puts a butt in front of the opposing goaltender hearkens back to the 1992-1993 season, when the Wings acquired Dino Ciccarelli from the Washington Capitals. Scotty Bowman joined the team in 1994, and while Ciccarelli was axed after the Wings lost to the New Jersey Devils, Bowman didn't like the Wings' lack of "net-front presence" (theoretically, anyway, you're not supposed to "crash the crease" anymore) during the 95-96 season, so he put some rookie named Tomas Holmstrom in Ciccarelli's spot on the power play.

Thirteen years, four Stanley Cups, and a new set of front teeth later, Tomas Holmstrom's still doing what he does best, and he's mentoring the Wings' next generation of puck-tipping pairs of goalie-screening hockey pants in Dan Cleary and Johan Franzen.