Patrick Roy (pronounced "khwah", IPA: ^*) (born October 5, 1965, in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada) is a retired ice hockey goaltender and current co-owner, general manager, and head coach of the Quebec Remparts of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. 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 among goaltenders in wins and games played, and is regarded as one of the greatest goaltenders of all time. On November 13, 2006, Patrick Roy will be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Playing career

Roy started his NHL career with the Montreal Canadiens, who drafted him 51st overall in the 1984 NHL Entry Draft from the Granby Bisons. He played for the Habs from 1985 to 1995, leading them to the 1986 Stanley Cup in his rookie season. Roy became, at only 20, the youngest player in the NHL's history to win the Conn Smythe Trophy given to the playoffs most valuable player. He also was named to the 1986 NHL All-Rookie Team.

Roy was traded to the Colorado Avalanche (which 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 (Tremblay refused to pull Roy from the net until after he let in 9 goals in 26 shots during an 11-1 loss to the Detroit Red Wings^*), 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).

During his years with Montreal, Roy was the unquestionable superstar of the team which did not have league leading scorers (past Canadiens dynasties were led by players such as Maurice Richard, Jean Beliveau, and Guy Lafleur), although the Canadiens did have star checking forward Guy Carbonneau.

In the 1993 playoffs, after the Canadiens lost their first two games to their archrival Quebec Nordiques in the first round series, a newspaper in Roy's hometown district suggested that he be traded. Nordiques goadtending coach Dan Bouchard also proclaimed that his team had solved Roy. These comments seemed to fire up Roy, who responded by winning the next four games against the Nordiques, sweeping the Buffalo Sabres in the next round, and winning the first three against the New York Islanders to complete an eleven postseason game winning streak. Roy set a record during the postseason with 10 straight overtime wins and won the Stanley Cup and the Conn Smythe Trophy.

In 1994, the Canadiens were the defending champions but they were knocked out in the first round by the Boston Bruins. Nonetheless, that seven game series was notable in the eyes of Montreal fans as Roy came down with appendicitis and missed game three. He convinced doctors to let him return for Game Four and led the Canadiens to a 5-2 victory, stopping 39 shots^*.

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. This seems to be backed up by his no-holds-barred fights with a pair of Detroit Red Wings goalies—Mike Vernon during the 1997 regular season, and Chris Osgood during the 1998 regular season.

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 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. 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 was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2006, after the three-year waiting period following a player's final game was completed.

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.

As an interesting note, Roy was born on the same day as Mario Lemieux.

Coaching career

On May 28th, 2006, the Quebec Remparts won the Memorial Cup (top Canadian Hockey League tournament) beating the Moncton Wildcats 6-2 in the finals, even though the Remparts didn't win the President's Cup. Patrick Roy becomes the 7th coach to win the cup on his rookie year, the first to do so since Claude Julien with the Hull Olympiques in 1997.

Awards

• NHL All-Rookie Team - 1986
• Played in 11 NHL All-Star Games - 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2003
• NHL Second All-Star Team - 1988, 1991
• NHL First All-Star Team - 1989, 1990, 1992, 2002
• Conn Smythe Trophy - 1986, 1993, 2001
• William M. Jennings Trophy - 1987*, 1988*, 1989, 1992, 2002
• Vezina Trophy - 1989, 1990, 1992
• His jersey number 30 has been retired by the Granby Bisons.
• His jersey number 33 has been retired by the Colorado Avalanche.
• The Colorado Sports Hall Of Fame 2004
• Hockey Hall of Fame inductee 2006

* Shared with Brian Hayward.

Records

• Most NHL games played by a goaltender (1029)
• Most NHL wins (551)
• Most NHL playoff games played by a goaltender (247)
• Most NHL playoff wins by a goaltender (151)

Career statistics

Regular season

Playoffs

International play

• 1998 Winter Olympics

International statistics

Awards

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 Preceded by:
(2000)
Scott Stevens Succeeded by:
(2002)
Nicklas Lidström 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 Preceded by:
(1986)
Bob Froese
Darren Jensen Winner of the William M. Jennings Trophy
1987-89, 1992, 2002
(1987-89 with Brian Hayward) Succeeded by:
(1990)
Andy Moog
Rejean Lemelin Preceded by:
(1991)
Ed Belfour Succeeded by:
(1993)
Ed Belfour Preceded by:
(2001)
Dominik Hasek Succeeded by:
(2003)
Martin Brodeur
Roman Cechmanek
Robert Esche

References