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Head Coach Joe Paterson announced before the season
opener that his team’s leader in 2011-12 would
be the youngest captain in Phantoms history. 24-year-old
Ben Holmstrom was given the honor of the “C”
on his jersey.
“He does all the little things. He wins faceoffs
and blocks shots. He’s not as much of a vocal
leader, but he really leads by example,” said
Head Coach Joe Paterson on the decision to name
Holmstrom Adirondack’s captain.
The Phantoms’ “new” captain in
the 2011-12 season is Ben Holmstrom, who assumed
the title from Dan Jancevski, with the latter now
serving as an assistant captain along with fellow
700-game AHL veteran Denis Hamel.
“We have a good group here. Lots of guys
who were here last year who provide us with good
leadership,” Paterson said.
Although for Holmstrom, a second-year pro who was
the Phantoms team MVP last season, this isn’t
the first time he’s led his team. Holmstrom
was a three-year captain of his college team (UMass-Lowell)
and also captained his junior team, the Sioux Falls
Stampede (USHL).
Check
out this vintage interview with “Captain”
Holmstrom from college.
The team is bestowing the responsibility on the
hard-working Flyers prospect who has garnered the
respect of his teammates. He now becomes the Phantoms’
all-time youngest captain previously held by Boyd
Kane who assumed the captaincy at 25 with the Philadelphia
Phantoms.
“During the offseason, (Flyers General Manager)
Paul Holmgren, (Flyers Assistant General Manager)
John Paddock and I got together and decided Ben
had to be the guy,” said Paterson.
“It’s really flattering,” commented
Holmstrom on his new title. “Leading a team
is a group effort and we have lots of guys who lead
on this team, who don’t necessarily wear letters
on their sweaters. But still, it’s a huge
honor.”
While the 6-foot-1, 180-pound center out of Colorado
Springs, CO may not be the most-vocal leader in
the league, he does all the things that help teams
win games, beyond making plays and scoring goals.
He’s a key player on face-offs, the power-play,
the penalty-kill, and on both ends of the ice.
In his senior year in college at UMass-Lowell,
he was named Hockey East’s top defensive forward,
becoming the first UMass-Lowell player to receive
that honor in 11 years.
Along with the 38 points (16g, 22a) he produced
last season and his responsible defensive play,
Holmstrom isn’t afraid to mix it up either
if his team needs a spark.
Although not known as a fighter, here’s Holmstrom
taking on legendary Ottawa Senators tough guy Chris
Neil, long considered one of the most-feared NHL
scrappers.
Watch
the video here.
On March 5, “Benny” was called up to
the Philadelphia Flyers and made his NHL debut against
the Toronto Maple Leafs. He came close to being
the only Phantom to play in every game in 2010-11.
But he was called up to the Flyers for a second
time in April and thus missed an Adirondack game
on April 6. He ended up playing 81 total games last
year including 79 with the Phantoms and two with
the Flyers.
With his enhanced leadership responsibilities in
Glens Falls, the Flyers are hoping they are grooming
their hard-working prospect for longer and more
regular stays in the NHL in the years to come.
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