Patrick Roy
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Patrick Roy (pronounced "Rwah") (born October 5, 1965, in Quebec City, Quebec) is a retired ice hockey goaltender. Nicknamed "St. Patrick" for his consistently amazing 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 by many as the greatest goaltender of all time. He was born on the same day as Mario Lemieux.
Roy started his NHL career with the Montreal Canadiens, for whom he played from 1984 to 1995. He was traded to the Colorado Avalanche, after a now infamous blunder by rookie coach Mario Tremblay, 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 (playoff MVP) a record 3 times in 1986, 1993, and 2001. In 1996 Colorado captain Joe Sakic took the award.
Notoriously superstitious, Roy would not skate on the blue/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 a game.
Roy was famous for his cockiness. In the 1993 Stanley Cup final against the Los Angeles Kings, after making a spectacular save against on 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.
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In 1989, 1990, 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 eight 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 six 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.
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.
| Preceded by: (1985) Wayne Gretzky |
Winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy 1986, 1993, 2001 |
Succeeded by: (1987) Ron Hextall |
| Preceded by: (1992) Mario Lemieux |
Succeeded by: (1994) Brian Leetch |
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| Preceded by: (2000) Scott Stevens |
Succeeded by: (2002) Nicklas Lidström |
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| Preceded by: (1988) Grant Fuhr |
Winner of the Vezina Trophy 1989, 1990, 1992 |
Succeeded by: (1991) Ed Belfour |
| Preceded by: (1991) Ed Belfour |
Succeeded by: (1993) Ed Belfour |
