Tomas Holmström was good at many things.
But not everything.
It forced a hilarious trick on the ice with teammate Nicklas Lidström.
Tomas Holmström really knew most things. His incredible style of play earned him the respect of the fans, and that was exactly what Detroit needed for many years. A rock-hard and physical forward who wasn’t afraid of anything, and who could take any hits as long as he helped the team score goals.
Incredibly appreciated
In total, there were over 1,000 games in the NHL for Holmström from 1996 until 2013. “Homer” goes down in history as one of Sweden’s most successful players ever with a total of four Stanley Cup titles, something that only Nicklas Lidström, Anders Kallur and Stefan Persson have managed among Swedes in NHL history. Holmström had most of what was required to succeed in the world’s best league, but there was one subject he could clearly improve on.
Tomas Holmström was perhaps not the best in the history of the NHL in English, and there are many examples of when it has gone… like that for him to express himself in interviews. However, Holmström never let that stop him. He always stood up, and the fans loved it even though there were sometimes a few Swedish words in the sentences.
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Lida’s genius trick
But it also led to some concerns on the ice. Holmström played with lots of Swedes in Detroit, including Nicklas Lidström. In an interview, Tomas Holmström revealed that Lidas had difficulty understanding what Holmström said when he started his English, and that forced him to change. Holmström revealed that the duo had a special little trick of their own.
Many understood Holmström despite his broken English, but when Holmström and Lidas played together, it was different.
– If I talk to Nick and I want him to shoot, and if I say it in English: “Shoot the puck”, he doesn’t listen. So I get to speak Swedish with him, and then he knows I’m serious, Holmström said.
When the clip was shown during the match, the commentators couldn’t stop laughing – and we agree that it’s an absolutely fantastic clip. Tomas Holmström, what a player!
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