PHILADELPHIA - Ron Hextall got his "dream job. Don Baylor Jersey ." Hextall was promoted to general manager by the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday to replace Paul Holmgren, who was elevated to president. Hextall is Philadelphias all-time winningest goalie and served as assistant GM last year. "When I was done playing 15 years ago, my next goal was to become a general manager," Hextall said. "Ive been very fortunate to work under Bobby Clarke, Paul Holmgren, and Dean Lombardi out in Los Angeles - three very good people but also three very astute people who I took a lot of lessons from the last 15 years. Holmgren replaced Clarke as GM during the 2006-07 season and led the Flyers to within two games of the Stanley Cup title in 2010. He played for the Flyers from 1975-84 and coached them from 1988-92. "Im excited about whats ahead for me," Holmgren said. The Flyers were eliminated by the New York Rangers in seven games in the first round of the playoffs. They havent won a Cup since 1975, but have reached the Finals and lost six times. Despite heavy criticism in Philadelphia for failing to win it all, the Flyers have long been considered one of the top NHL franchises. Theyve earned a playoff berth in 39 of their 46 seasons. "The culture of winning is nothing to be embarrassed about," said Hextall, adding the Flyers are a "model" organization. "We should all be proud of this organization and what theyve done. Short of winning the Stanley Cup, this organization has done everything. Theres nothing anyone here wont do to win a Stanley Cup." Hextall previously spent seven seasons as vice-president and assistant GM with the Los Angeles Kings. The 50-year-old Hextall played 13 seasons in the NHL and had two stints covering 11 years with the Flyers. He burst on the scene in 1986, won the Vezina Trophy and helped the Flyers get within one win of the Stanley Cup before losing to Wayne Gretzky and the Edmonton Oilers on the road in Game 7 in 1987. Hextall was the Conn Smythe Trophy winner as MVP of the playoffs that year. Hextall had 296 career wins in the regular season, including 240 for the Flyers. He retired in 1999 and joined the Flyers front office. He spent three years as a pro scout and four as director of pro player personnel before joining the Kings in 2006. "Ron is one of the leagues bright young stars on the management side, and were very fortunate to have him," Flyers chairman Ed Snider said. "Hes had success in Los Angeles and will now put that experience to work for us as general manager. We all remember the enthusiasm, work ethic and personality he had as a player, and were excited to watch him bring those qualities to building a team that will contend for the Stanley Cup." Hextall became the first NHL goalie to score a goal by shooting the puck into the opponents empty net. He also became the first goalie to score a goal in the playoffs. Hextall was known for his fiery temper as a player. His attacked Montreals Chris Chelios during the 1989 playoffs, sparking a brawl. "There is an on-ice guy and an off-ice guy," Holmgren said. "What I see now is an off-ice guy who is very intelligent, very articulate and knows the game inside and out. It has been growing over the last 15 years so hes obviously learned from that." Hextall has a strong core of players, including Hart Trophy finalist Claude Giroux, Jakub Voracek and Wayne Simmonds. After years of searching for a true No. 1 goalie, it seems they have one now in Steve Mason. "The thing I really like about our team is everybody talks about our forwards, and thats a good group, but its a young group as well. And thats important," Hextall said. "A lot of these guys are going to get better, and weve got to take it upon ourselves to help them get better every day." Steve Stone Jersey .C. - Phoenix Suns coach Jeff Hornacek says guard Goran Dragic will return to the starting lineup against the Charlotte Hornets after missing the last two games with a strained back. Asher Wojciechowski Jersey . And former Maple Leafs coach Ron Wilson certainly knows his pain. "Its pretty hard to coach there without allowing some of these things to kind of affect you," Wilson told TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun in his ESPN. https://www.cheaporioles.com/1908i-austin-hays-jersey-orioles.html . The 42-ranked Czech saved seven break points while converting his one chance, and defeated the No. 3 seed in 1 hour 46 minutes. Rosol, who lost in the final in Stuttgart against Roberto Bautista Agut on Sunday, awaits the winner between Philipp Kohlschreiber or 2011 champion Gilles Simon.ROTTERDAM, Netherlands -- Robin van Persie scored his second goal in as many pre-World Cup friendlies as the Netherlands beat Ghana 1-0 on Saturday. On the day Louis van Gaal announced his final 23-man squad for Brazil, the Netherlands coach looked to have picked his strongest side for the match at Feyenoords De Kuip stadium, with the vastly experienced striking partnership of Van Persie and Arjen Robben fed by playmaker Wesley Sneijder. It was that trio who teamed up to unlock the Ghana defence in just the fifth minute. Sneijder played a one-two with Robben and then cut back the ball past the advancing goalkeeper to Van Persie who only had to tap into the open goal for his 43rd international goal. Robben should have doubled the lead seven minutes later but scuffed a close-range shot over the bar after a cross from left back Daley Blind set him free in front of goal at the end of a flowing attack. The Bayern Munich winger squandered another great chance when goalkeeper Adam Kwarasey blocked his shot when Robben was again on his own in front of goal after a cross from right back Daryl Janmaat. "I shhould have scored two. Baltimore Orioles Shirts. Im saving them up," Robben said. Both final passes came from backs functioning almost as wingers in Van Gaals new 5-3-2 formation. The defenders -- seen by many as the teams Achilles heel -- also ensured Jasper Cillessen kept a clean sheet. "In the second half, we created less but we gave away absolutely nothing," Van Gaal said. Ghana, which has a tough draw in Brazil together with Germany, Portugal and the United States in Group G, never looked like breaking down the Dutch back five. Coach James Kwesi Appiahs team stayed in the game thanks to Robbens misses and aggressive tackling and pressure that broke up the fluency of Dutch build-up play. "Ghana pinned us back and that makes it difficult," Van Gaal said. But he expects the attacking fluency to come as the squad continues to train together. "It will get better," Van Gaal said. "Weve only just started." The Netherlands plays Wales on Wednesday in Amsterdam and flies to Rio de Janeiro the following day. It is in Group B with Spain, Chile and Australia. ' ' '