by Cate Racher, Staff Writer/Copy Editor, All Habs Hockey Magazine
Welcome to Habs History! Throughout this series, we’re going to be taking a look at the top seven goalies to ever wear the bleu-blanc-rouge throughout the Habs’ extensive history, according to their number of wins. It will include bios, player stats, and other fun facts about some of our favourite team goalies and how they fit into the team’s history. This week, we’ll be taking a look at Patrick Roy, but before we do that, be sure to check out pars one through four below.
No. 7: Michel “Bunny” Larocque
No. 6: “Little George” Hainsworth
No. 5: Bill “Dr. Strange Glove” Durnan
No. 4: Ken Dryden, the “Four-Storey Goalie”
Patrick Jacques Roy was born on October 5, 1965 in Quebec City, Quebec to Barbara and Michel Roy. Both of Patrick’s parents were athletic; his mother was a synchronized swimmer and his father played both tennis and baseball, so Patrick came by his athletic roots honestly. He started playing hockey at the age of six, but didn’t start playing goalie until age seven and later played in goal for the local Sainte Foy midget and junior leagues.
While Patrick’s brother and sister were both educated in English, Patrick was educated in French, but chose to spend his time focussing on playing hockey and becoming a better goaltender. With the support of his parents, Patrick dropped out of school in 1982 when he was in the 11th grade to play hockey with the Granby Bisons of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL).
Patrick was 19 years old when he was selected 51st overall by the Montreal Canadiens at the 1984 NHL Entry Draft. At first, Patrick wasn’t sure he wanted to play in Montreal, having grown up a fan of the rival Quebec Nordiques, and it was believed that Patrick wasn’t going to play for the team at all until he was called up during the 1984-’85 season. On February 23rd, 1985 he replaced Habs starter Doug Stoetaert, helping the Canadiens finish the game 6-4 after being tied 4-4 at the start of the third period.
Following his first NHL game, Patrick was sent to the Sherbrooke Canadiens, Montreal’s AHL affiliate, to observe minor league gameplay and was soon asked to serve as one of the team’s two goaltenders. During his time in Sherbrooke, Patrick worked with net-minding coach Francois Allaire, who was famed for the butterfly-style goaltending that Patrick would later perfect. Patrick’s ability to work hard under pressure helped lead the team to the Calder Cup championship that year.
Patrick’s NHL career truly began during the 1985-’86 season, where he played 47 games with the Habs. His first season was relatively unremarkable; he maintained a goals-against average (GAA) of 3.35 with an .875 save percentage. However, as soon as the playoffs hit, Patrick became unstoppable with a GAA of 1.93 and only five losses throughout the playoffs. At 20 years old, Patrick helped to lead the Habs to an unlikely Stanley Cup win. His efforts during the playoffs would also earn him his first of three Conn Smythe trophies, two of which were with the Canadiens, and the nickname of “Saint Patrick”.
Roy was very superstitious. One of his biggest ticks was that he insisted on stepping over the blue line and talking to the goalposts. In spite of his quirks, over the next few years, Patrick became known as one of the best, most determined, and most competitive goaltenders in the NHL. Between 1986 and 1993, the Habs became known as the team that allowed the fewest goals, a feat that earned Patrick the William M. Jennings trophy four times between 1987-1992. He won his first Vezina trophy in 1989, then again in 1990 and 1992.
After his play been criticized following two losses against Quebec during the 1993 playoffs, Patrick took his goaltending abilities up a notch and the Habs were able to win the next four games of the series. They swept their remaining opponents, and he was able to lead the team to the Canadiens’ 24th Stanley Cup victory.
Patrick continued his fantastic goaltending through the following two seasons, maintaining a GAA of 2.50 and 2.97, respectively. He kept his stellar record during the 1995-’96 season with a GAA of 2.95, but something had changed. During the December 2, 1995 game against the Detroit Red Wings, Detroit scored nine goals on the Habs before coach Mario Tremblay pulled Patrick from the net.
Patrick skated right up to team president Ronald Corey, who was sat right behind the bench, and told him that this would be his last game with the Canadiens. The Habs lost that game 12-1, and Patrick was traded (alongside Mike Keane) to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for Andrei Kovalenko, Jocelyn Thibault, and Martin Rucinsky. The trade, which would later be known as ‘Le Trade’ in Montreal, has been regarded as the worst deal in Canadiens history.
Ever the competitive player, and eager to prove his critics wrong, Roy helped lead the Avalanche to a Stanley Cup victory in that same 1995-’96 season. He would later lead the Avalanche to another Stanley Cup victory in 2001, giving him his third Conn Smythe trophy. During the 2002-’03 season, he became the first goaltender in NHL history to play over 1000 games; he retired from playing hockey on May 28th, 2003 after the season had ended. He retired as the most winningest goaltender with 551 wins, a feat that would later be surpassed by Martin Brodeur of the New Jersey Devils and the St. Louis Blues. He still sits at second place in NHL history for this incredible feat.
Following his career in the NHL, in 2005, he moved into a coaching position with the Quebec Remparts of the QMJHL, the team that his two sons Jonathan and Frederick played for. He served as coach until 2013 and co-owner of the team until its 2014 sale to Québecor.
In May 2013, Patrick was offered the position of head coach and Vice President of Hockey Operations for the Avalanche. His coaching led the team to a 112 point season, earning him the Jack Adams trophy in the process. Patrick held the position for just three years, resigning his position after the 2015-’16 season.
Patrick’s number 33 was retired by the Avalanche in October of 2003. His number and jersey were retired by the Canadiens on November 22, 2008. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2006, the first year that he was eligible, and is still considered to be one of the greatest hockey players of all time.
