Minnesota’s Holmgren, Denver’s McNab part of U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame class of 2021

Paul Holmgren and Peter McNab are the newest members of the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame.

Former NCAA hockey players Paul Holmgren and Peter McNab will be enshrined into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame as part of the class of 2021.

Journalist and broadcaster Stan Fischler will also be inducted.

The class of 2021 will be enshrined together with the class of 2020 at a formal induction celebration in December of 2021.

Holmgren’s career in hockey is highlighted by more than 40 years with the NHL’s Philadelphia Flyers over parts of six decades, in addition to major contributions to American hockey on other stages, including serving as an original member of the U.S. Men’s National Team Advisory Group and helping guide Team USA to the 1996 World Cup of Hockey championship.

The St. Paul, Minn., native, is the only person ever to serve as a player, assistant coach, head coach, general manager and president of the Flyers and today serves as senior advisor for the club.

Drafted from Minnesota in the sixth round of the 1975 NHL Draft, Holmgren’s NHL playing career began with the Flyers on March 25, 1975. It was the first of 500 games he played for Philadelphia in parts of nine seasons. He helped the Flyers to the Stanley Cup Final in 1976, and again in 1980 when he became the first American-born player in NHL history to record a hat trick during the Stanley Cup Final. He earned a spot in the 1981 NHL All-Star Game and was the lone American on the Campbell Conference entry.

Holmgren retired following the 1984-85 season.

In 10 NHL campaigns, he played in 527 regular-season games and recorded 323 points (144 goals, 179 assists). Holmgren helped his teams to the Stanley Cup Playoffs in each of his nine full seasons in the league and contributed 51 points (19 goals, 32 assists) in 82 playoff appearances.

Holmgren has been involved with U.S. teams on the international stage on multiple occasions, including serving as an assistant coach for Team USA at the inaugural World Cup of Hockey in 1996 when the U.S. secured the tournament title, and also in the 1988 Olympic Winter Games. He also was the assistant general manager of the 2006 U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team, general manager of the 2006 U.S Men’s National Team and assistant general manager for Team USA in the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.

In addition, Holmgren was a founding member of the U.S. Men’s National Team Advisory Group in 2007 and served for eight seasons in helping select U.S. Men’s National Teams. As a player, Holmgren represented Team USA at the inaugural World Junior Ice Hockey Championship in 1974.

During his remarkable NHL playing career, which spanned parts of 14 seasons (1973-87) with four teams, McNab had seven straight seasons with 70 or more points and six straight with 35-plus goals and helped his teams to Stanley Cup Playoff appearances 10 times, including a trip to the 1975 Stanley Cup Final with Buffalo. He ranks 19th among Americans in NHL history with 813 points in 995 regular-season games, including 363 goals and 450 assists.

Drafted 85th overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 1972 NHL Draft, McNab played three seasons (1970-73) of college hockey at Denver and helped the Pioneers to three top-four NCAA finishes. His final season, the Vancouver, B.C., native led the Pioneers to an NCAA runner-up finish and was not only named to the NCAA All-Tournament Team, but also earned First-Team All-WCHA honors after a team-leading 72-point season which included 32 goals and 40 assists. All total, McNab averaged 1.61 points per game in 105 total games and his 170 (78 goals, 92 assists) career points rank 10th best in program history.

Following his collegiate career, McNab led the Cincinnati Swords of the AHL with 73 points (34 goals, 39 assists), despite playing in just 49 of the team’s 76 games. He also debuted with the Sabres that season, competing in 22 contests.

McNab solidified a spot on the Sabres roster for the next two years where he tallied 99 points in 132 regular-season games. He helped Buffalo to the Stanley Cup Final in 1974-75 and also to regular-season titles in both the Adams Division and Prince of Wales Conference.

The center spent the next eight years (1976-84) of his NHL career with the Boston Bruins where he helped the team to the Stanley Cup Playoffs in seven of his eight campaigns.

McNab concluded his NHL career playing 78 games over two seasons in Vancouver and 117 contests in two seasons with New Jersey.

On the international stage, McNab played for the U.S. Men’s National Team at the 1986 IIHF Men’s World Championship.

McNab transitioned to a career in broadcasting following his playing days, including eight years as a color analyst for the Devils. He was hired by the Colorado Avalanche in a similar role in their inaugural season in 1995 and will enter his 26th campaign with the Avs in 2021-22.