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Flyers’ GM Paul Holmgren erupts at media after question about coach’s future

There are a lot of reasons the Philadelphia Flyers won't be in the playoffs this year: injuries, stalled progress from some of the young stars, and another hot-and-cold season for their goaltenders, to name a few.

Some have also suggested coach Peter Laviolette deserves blame, but it remains to be seen if General Manager Paul Holmgren feels the same way. Is Laviolette's job safe?

Sure, Holmgren gave his coach a vote of confidence when the topic came up in mid-March. "I haven't even thought about it," he said then. "You guys keep asking these questions about the coach and it hasn't even entered my mind."

But considering such votes are usually death knells, you can understand why the media might want to ask again as the season comes to an end, and on Saturday, in advance of the Flyers' final game versus the Ottawa Senators, they did just that.

Holmgren gave a similar answer, but this one was different. It was louder and it had a lot more swearing. From Philly.com:

Asked before Saturday’s game about Laviolette’s future - and informed that a source had told a Canadian reporter that the coach would not return -Holmgren erupted in a string of expletives.

“I’m not even going to comment on the bleeping sources,” he said. “…Some idiot made it up.”

Asked if he could say for sure if Laviolette would return, Holmgren said, “I’m not saying a bleeping thing….How many times do I have to tell you I haven’t even thought about firing the coach? How many times?”

Let's assume that Holmgren didn't actually say "bleeping", because this isn't Jose Chung's 'From Outer Space'. That's the edited version. According to Sam Carchidi, the unedited rant will not be shared.

Too blue even for Twitter? I'm not sure there's any such thing, but okay, sure.

Anyway. I think Paul Holmgren needs a hug.

This is just Holmgren's frustration getting the better of him, but if he needs advice on how to handle the media next time, I suggest he look to Ilya Bryzgalov, who was much, much more chill when asked a question he wasn't particularly interested in answering last Wednesday:

The conversation was quick-witted, and Bryzgalov seemed honest with his answers, especially about the addition of Steve Mason and the rest he has provided for Bryzgalov. That changed, though, when Bryzgalov was asked: "Do you want to come back next year?"

Unlike his previous answers, which were instantaneous, Bryzgalov deflected an answer by commenting on a female reporter's blouse: "Good blouse." Then, after a pause, Bryzgalov said: "What? Of course!"

Here's video of that odd little moment:

Good blouse indeed.