Not only did Potvin grow up playing on local rinks, he quickly became a local star, playing with the Ottawa 67s from the time he was 15 years old. Picked number one in the 1973 NHL draft, Potvin was already being referred to as the next Bobby Orr. He joined his older brother -- already a New York Islander -- and built a distinguished 15-year career with the Islanders as a star defenceman, winning the Norris Trophy three times, and leading the team to four consecutive Stanley Cup victories from 1980 to 1983. Not long after his retirement in 1988, he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1991.
Beyond the awards, Potvin’s name still rings in another of hockey’s stadiums, Madison Square Gardens, home of the New York Rangers. After a 1979 hit by Potvin of Rangers forward Ulf Nilsson, Rangers fans began to voice their frustration with the rather unsavoury chant, “Potvin sucks.” Several decades later, with a new generation of Rangers supporters, the chant lives on, even several times per game, having become “sort of a catch-all frustration phrase” voiced by fans.
Potvin’s story reminds us of the potential of any kid playing on the local rink. His story may also bring back memories – perhaps of playing with the Potvin brothers, or of celebrations when his team won the Stanley Cup. Was the Cup brought to town? We’d be keen to hear any other notable memories.
IMAGE: Outdoor mural of the Potvin Brothers, by David Yeatman (2003); Image: VanierNow (2013).
Beyond the awards, Potvin’s name still rings in another of hockey’s stadiums, Madison Square Gardens, home of the New York Rangers. After a 1979 hit by Potvin of Rangers forward Ulf Nilsson, Rangers fans began to voice their frustration with the rather unsavoury chant, “Potvin sucks.” Several decades later, with a new generation of Rangers supporters, the chant lives on, even several times per game, having become “sort of a catch-all frustration phrase” voiced by fans.
Potvin’s story reminds us of the potential of any kid playing on the local rink. His story may also bring back memories – perhaps of playing with the Potvin brothers, or of celebrations when his team won the Stanley Cup. Was the Cup brought to town? We’d be keen to hear any other notable memories.
IMAGE: Outdoor mural of the Potvin Brothers, by David Yeatman (2003); Image: VanierNow (2013).