The 2011-12 campaign will likely be Holmstrom's swan song, but he managed to stay healthy enough to play in 73 games for the Wings last season. Setting up the old Coleman in front of opposing netminders has been very good to Homer, but his even-strength opportunities are beginning to fade as he's now 38 and the years of sticks to the back from opposing netminders and blueliners continue to take their toll. More than half of his points -- including 10 of his 18 goals -- came in power-play situations last season. If his run with the top unit is coming to an end, be prepared for the possibility of a rapidly falling point total.
Somewhat improbably, Holmstrom managed to stay healthy enough to play 68 games while hitting the 25-goal plateau for the first time in three seasons. He's still an asset on the power play (13 G, 9 A), but there's a chance he'll be shuttled to the second unit more often this season since Johan Franzen figures to be back in the mix with Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg. Homer is the ideal blue-collar workhorse in a city where grinders are certainly appreciated. Unfortunately, he's already 37 years old and his body will continue to betray him even after the Wings brought him back with a new two-year contract during the summer. Another 40-point season is the best-case scenario, but the risk is to the downside.
Holmstrom has been slowed by a hernia, back trouble and a bad right knee over the course of the last two seasons, so perhaps the coaching staff will consider finding a way to lighten Homer's load, which may include removing him from the top line to scale back his ice time. Keep in mind that he's already 36 and camping out in front of opposing netminders takes a toll on his body more than ever. Nineteen of his 34 goals over the last two seasons have come with the man advantage, so lost time on the power play could be curtains for his fading fantasy value. All of this considered, you shouldn't expect more than 40 points from him this season.
Holmstrom missed all but two games in March with a groin injury -- that was later revealed to be a sports hernia when Homer underwent offseason surgery. He'll begin the year as the left wing on a line with Pavel Datsyuk and Marian Hossa, so there's reason to believe that he could produce the best numbers of his career as opposing teams will have their hands full with the two superstars. Holmstrom got off to a very strong start prior to suffering the injury, while he tallied 34 points (19 G, 15 A) through 41 games before the All-Star break. Ugly goals are still as valuable as pretty ones on the score sheet, so assuming he's healthy for a full slate of games, Holmstrom is a legitimate threat to exceed the 60-point plateau for the first time in his career.
Garbage goals are his specialty, but until the NHL switches to a 10-point judging system, those goals count all the same. Homer should have another 20-25 strikes in him this year, most of them coming from the crease.
He generally kicks in 15-20 goals a year, none of them pretty or worth seeing again. Every team should have such a resourceful garbageman. There's little upside to Holmstrom at age 33, though.
It seems like Homer has been around since Eddie Short and Gordie Howe, but he's just 32 according to the paperwork. He'll be ignored by most people, again, and find a way to score 15-20 goals, again, most of them ugly ones from in close.
