| Tomas Holmström | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Holmström with theDetroit Red Wings in 2008 | |||
| Born | (1973-01-23)23 January 1973 (age 52) | ||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) | ||
| Weight | 200 lb (91 kg; 14 st 4 lb) | ||
| Position | Left wing | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for | Luleå HF Detroit Red Wings | ||
| National team |  Sweden | ||
| NHL draft | 257th overall,1994 Detroit Red Wings | ||
| Playing career | 1990–2012 | ||
Bengt Tomas Holmström (pronounced[ˈtʊ̌mːasˈhɔ̂lːmstrœm]; born 23 January 1973) is aSwedish former professionalice hockeyleft winger who played his entireNational Hockey League (NHL) career with theDetroit Red Wings, with whom he won fourStanley Cup championships; in1997,1998,2002 and2008.
During his playing career, Holmström was widely considered one of the NHL's best atscreening the opposition'sgoaltender, as well as for his physical presence in front of the opposition's net.[1][2]
Holmström was first noticed byDetroit Red Wings scoutHåkan Andersson in 1993 during aSwedish national team selection camp, where Holmström missed the cut, then again the next year while playing with Boden, where his coach,Niklas Wikegård, told Andersson that Holmström was the team's best player.[3] He was then drafted 257th overall by Detroit in the1994 NHL Entry Draft and began playing for the Red Wings in the1996–97 season. During the2004–05 NHL lockout, Holmström returned to Sweden to play for his old team,Luleå HF, in the Swedish top flight league, theElitserien.
Holmström was inducted into thePiteå Wall of Fame in his hometown in 2006.
On 7 April 2007 Holmström scored his 30th goal of the2006–07 season against theChicago Blackhawks, reaching the 30-goal plateau in a season for the first time in his career.
Holmström scored 12 points during the2008 Stanley Cup playoffs as the Red Wings won theStanley Cup for the fourth time in 11 years over thePittsburgh Penguins. On his day with the Cup, he had his cousin's daughter baptized in it.[4]
During the2009–10 season, Holmström was initially selected to play in the2010 Winter Olympics inVancouver,British Columbia. A knee injury sustained on 13 February 2010, in a game against theOttawa Senators, however, prevented him from playing in the tournament. It was announced the next day, 14 February, that he would be replaced by friend and Red Wing teammateJohan Franzén.[5] The announcement came fromSweden Head CoachBengt-Åke Gustafsson. On 4 June 2010, during the season's subsequent off-season, Holmström agreed on a two-year contract extension to remain in Detroit after an impressive season in which he scored 25 goals, second on the team only to sniperPavel Datsyuk's 27; Holmström also scored a team-high 13 goals on the power play.
On 12 February 2012 Holmström became only the sixth Red Wing and 272nd NHL player toplay 1,000 games.[6]
After the retirement of long-time Red Wings defencemanNicklas Lidström at the end of the2011–12 season, Holmström became the last active player from the1997 and1998 Stanley Cup-winning Detroit teams to still be active with the team. However, he didn't play a single game after Lidström announced his retirement.
On 22 January 2013 Holmström announced his retirement from professional hockey just hours before Detroit's home opener atJoe Louis Arena against theDallas Stars in thelockout-shortenedseason.[7] As of January 2013[update], Holmström held the following records with the Red Wings: sixth in most regular season games played, fourth in playoff games played and 13th in points scored.[8]
During his playing career, Holmström was known for his presence in front of the opposition's goal and his ability toscreen the opposing team'sgoaltender.[9] Because he had to withstand teammates' shots towards goal, as well as efforts from opponents to vacate him from in front of the net, Holmström wore additional padding to protect his body.[10] During aplayoff series against theColumbus Blue Jackets in 2009, Detroit Head CoachMike Babcock said of Holmström, "I think there's [defencemen] out there who think they might actually get to him. That's just not possible."[11]
Due to his obstructive playing style and close proximity to goalies and the crease, Holmström attained a reputation and was often charged withgoaltender interference penalties as well as occasionally having goals called back because of his proximity to the goaltender'screase. Holmström himself, as well as Red Wings TV announcersMickey Redmond andKen Daniels, often questioned the legitimacy of these calls by the on-iceofficials.[12][13]
Holmström was known to many fans in Detroit by the nickname of "Homer." He acquired the nickname "Demolition Man" while playing in Sweden, where he was also called "Holma."
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Representing Sweden | ||
| Ice hockey | ||
| Winter Olympics | ||
 | 2006 Turin | |
Holmström has participated in four international tournaments forSweden:
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1989–90 | Piteå HC | SWE II | 9 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1990–91 | Piteå HC | SWE II | 26 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1991–92 | Piteå HC | SWE II | 31 | 15 | 12 | 27 | 44 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1992–93 | Piteå HC | SWE II | 31 | 17 | 15 | 32 | 30 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1993–94 | Bodens IK | SWE II | 34 | 23 | 16 | 39 | 86 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 24 | ||
| 1994–95 | Luleå HF | SEL | 40 | 14 | 14 | 28 | 56 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 20 | ||
| 1995–96 | Luleå HF | SEL | 34 | 12 | 11 | 23 | 78 | 11 | 6 | 2 | 8 | 22 | ||
| 1996–97 | Adirondack Red Wings | AHL | 6 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 7 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1996–97 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 47 | 6 | 3 | 9 | 33 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1997–98 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 57 | 5 | 17 | 22 | 44 | 22 | 7 | 12 | 19 | 16 | ||
| 1998–99 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 82 | 13 | 21 | 34 | 69 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 4 | ||
| 1999–2000 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 72 | 13 | 22 | 35 | 43 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 16 | ||
| 2000–01 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 73 | 16 | 24 | 40 | 40 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 8 | ||
| 2001–02 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 69 | 8 | 18 | 26 | 58 | 23 | 8 | 3 | 11 | 8 | ||
| 2002–03 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 74 | 20 | 20 | 40 | 62 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | ||
| 2003–04 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 67 | 15 | 15 | 30 | 38 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 10 | ||
| 2004–05 | Luleå HF | SEL | 47 | 14 | 16 | 30 | 50 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | ||
| 2005–06 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 81 | 29 | 30 | 59 | 66 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 12 | ||
| 2006–07 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 77 | 30 | 22 | 52 | 59 | 15 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 14 | ||
| 2007–08 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 59 | 20 | 20 | 40 | 58 | 21 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 26 | ||
| 2008–09 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 53 | 14 | 23 | 37 | 38 | 23 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 22 | ||
| 2009–10 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 68 | 25 | 20 | 45 | 60 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 12 | ||
| 2010–11 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 73 | 18 | 19 | 37 | 62 | 11 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 8 | ||
| 2011–12 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 74 | 11 | 13 | 24 | 40 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | ||
| SEL totals | 121 | 40 | 41 | 81 | 184 | 23 | 7 | 4 | 11 | 60 | ||||
| NHL totals | 1,026 | 243 | 287 | 530 | 769 | 180 | 46 | 51 | 97 | 162 | ||||
| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Sweden | WC | 6th | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 12 | |
| 2002 | Sweden | OG | 5th | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | |
| 2004 | Sweden | WCH | 5th | 4 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 8 | |
| 2006 | Sweden | OG |  | 8 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 10 | |
| Senior totals | 22 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 32 | ||||
