Fan poll in favor of firing Paul Holmgren ‘doesn't mean anything' to Flyers

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Do you think Paul Holmgren should be relieved of his duties as general manager of the Flyers? Do ya? Well, guess what—the Flyers don’t care. According to Peter Luukko, president of Comcast-Spectacor, that is the organization’s official opinion of a Philly.com poll where nearly 93 percent of the 4,400 respondents voted yes for Holmgren’s dismissal.

Luukko was pressed about the poll results by Flyers beat writer Sam Carchidi as part of a story on Holmgren’s job status in Sunday’s edition of the Inquirer. It would seem the front office isn’t placing much stock in public opinion these days based on this statement.

"When things aren't going well, the timing of the poll is what directly relates to the answers," Luukko said the other day. "To us, it doesn't mean anything."

There’s no doubt the timing directly relates to the answers. The timing is the Flyers are off to a 1-7-0 start after missing the playoffs last season. And let’s be real, the Flyers can’t make decisions about the general manager based purely on the whim of the fans.

Perhaps it’s only the choice of words that was poor. Admitting the opinion of the fans “doesn’t mean anything” when the team is 1-7 and hasn’t won a Stanley Cup in going on 39 years might not be the best answer to appease paying customers who are becoming increasingly disenfranchised with the moves in recent years—and more importantly, the results.

Regardless, the organization is adamant about sticking with Holmgren, but you have to wonder for how much longer with a recent resume that reads like this (per Carchidi):

Holmgren is the one who gave the crazy contract to Ilya Bryzgalov (nine years, $51 million). The Flyers ate the final seven years of the deal, costing the franchise $23 million.

Holmgren is the one who traded away last season's Vezina-winning goalie, Sergei Bobrovsky - though, from here, more blame has to go to Laviolette for the way he lost confidence in him in the 2011 playoffs, causing a panic signing of Bryzgalov.

Holmgren is the one who has assembled an offensively inept team, while traded-away players such as Jeff Carter, Joffrey Lupul, James van Riemsdyk, and Mike Richards are flourishing around the league. And he's the one whose slow, aging defense is the highest-paid in the NHL, thanks to some extremely questionable contracts he handed out. (See Kimmo Timonen's $6 million extension.)

A few weeks back, team owner Ed Snider bristled at the idea the franchise needs to change their philosophy. Maybe they could just overhaul the public relations department for starters?

>> Slumping Flyers put Holmgren on hot seat [Inq]

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