Patrick Roy Career Biography and Statistics

Bio:
Defining an athlete as the greatest of all time is a dubious task that is often met with much debate and criticism. Perhaps an easier task is defining someone as the greatest to play their respective position. Patrick Roy is one athlete that has been honored with this definition. In 2004, Roy was named the best goaltender in NHL history by both a panel of sportswriters and a poll of hockey fans. Obviously a fantastic player, Roy was especially known for his extraordinary play in the playoffs.

Roy (pronounced wha) was born on October 5, 1965 in Sainte Foy, Quebec, Canada. He started his career in 1982 with the Granby Bisons of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). He spent three seasons with the Bisons, refining his game and preparing for the chance to take it to the next level. The opportunity came in the 1984 NHL Draft when Roy was picked 51st overall by the Montreal Canadians. He played one period for the Canadians during the 1984-85 season, but was handed the reigns as the starting goaltender the following season.

Roy made an immediate impact with the Canadians in 1985-86. He was named to the All-Rookie team and lead Montreal to the playoffs. It was during the 1986 playoffs that Roy’s brilliance truly shone through for the first time. He won 15 games, led the Canadians to win the Stanley Cup title, and won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff MVP. He did all this at 20 years of age and in his rookie season. Roy spent the next ten seasons at Montreal establishing himself as the best goaltender in the league, playing in six All-Star games, and winning another Stanley Cup in 1993 (he won the Conn Smythe Trophy that year as well). He was traded from the Canadians to the Colorado Avalanche partway through the 1995-96 season due to considerable conflict with his new head coach.

Roy never broke stride upon moving to Colorado. He finished the 1995-96 season with the Avalanche and promptly led them to win their first ever Stanley Cup, the third of Roy’s career. He spent seven more years at Colorado, displaying his normal domination in the goal. He won another Stanley Cup in 2001 (winning the Conn Smythe Trophy for the third time), and was named to five more All-Star Games. He decided to retire in 2003, and his playing days ended with an abundance of trophies, awards, and records. Among the NHL records he holds are most wins (551), most games played by a goaltender (1,029), most playoff wins by a goaltender (151), and most Conn Smythe Trophies (3).