Information

Patrick Roy (pronounced "Rwah") (born October 5, 1965, in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada) is a retired ice hockey goaltender. Nicknamed "St. Patrick" for his consistent play, and adored by fans of the Montreal Canadiens and Colorado Avalanche, he is the National Hockey League's all-time leader in wins and games played, and is regarded as one of the greatest goaltenders of all time. He was born on the same day as Mario Lemieux.

Playing Career

Roy started his NHL career with the Montreal Canadiens, who drafted him 51st overall in the 1984 NHL Entry Draft. He played for the Habs from 1984 to 1995, leading them to the Stanley Cup in his rookie season, and also was named to the 1986 NHL All-Rookie Team. He was traded to the Colorado Avalanche (which, ironically, had just relocated from his birthplace of Quebec City, where they were known as the Quebec Nordiques), after a now infamous blunder by rookie coach Mario Tremblay (keeping Patrick in net as a punishment against the Detroit Red Wings for letting in too many goals), playing with them until his retirement in 2003. He won four Stanley Cups, two with each team (1986, 1993, 1996, 2001), capturing the Conn Smythe Trophy a record 3 times (1986, 1993, 2001).

Notoriously superstitious, Roy would not skate on the blue or red lines, wrote the names of his kids on his stick before each game, and kept the pucks from his current season shutouts in his locker until the end of the season. He also talked to his goalposts during games.

Roy was famous for his cockiness. In the 1993 Stanley Cup final against the Los Angeles Kings, after making a spectacular save against Tomas Sandstrom, Roy was caught by the TV cameras winking at him. In the 1996 Western Conference semi-finals between the Colorado Avalanche and the Chicago Blackhawks, Jeremy Roenick said, "I'd like to know where Patrick was in Game 3 [a game in which Roenick had scored on Patrick], probably up trying to get his jock out of the rafters." Roy retorted with his now-famous line, "I can't hear what Jeremy says because I've got my two Stanley Cup rings plugging my ears." At the press conference to announce his retirement, Roy was asked by a reporter which NHL player he feared the most when playing. Roy replied that there was no one he feared when playing.

In 1989, 1990 and 1992, Roy won the Vezina Trophy (best goaltender). He won the Jennings Trophy (least goals allowed) in 1987, 1988, 1989 (all shared with Brian Hayward), 1992, and 2002. He led the league in shutouts and goals against average twice, was named a First Team All-Star three times, a Second Team All-Star twice, and played in eleven All-Star games.

Among the many goaltending NHL records Roy holds are career wins (551), career games played (1029), career playoff wins (151), and career playoff games played (247).

His final game, was played against the Minnesota Wild on 22 April 2003, in game seven of the first round of that year's NHL playoffs. The Avalanche retired Roy's #33 jersey on 28 October, 2003. He is expected to be elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2006, after the three-year waiting period following a player's final game is completed. In 2005, the National Hockey League announced on their website that Patrick Roy had been determined the best goaltender of all-time.

After retiring from the NHL, Roy joined the Quebec Remparts of the QMJHL as vice president of hockey operations. He is also owner and general manager. On September 29, 2005, he was also named head coach of the team.

He married Michèle Piuze on June 9, 1990. They have 3 children, Jonathan, Frederick, and Jana. Since the 1980s, Roy has been a significant contributor to the Ronald McDonald House charity.

Awards

Records


Special thanks to Wikipedia!