Nick Fotiu

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Nicholas Evlampios Fotiu (born May 25, 1952 in Staten Island, New York) is a retired American ice hockey forward, and is the first professional hockey player ever from New York City's Staten Island to play for the local NHL New York Rangers.

A gritty, hard-nosed left winger, Fotiu began his career in the World Hockey Association with the New England Whalers in the 1974–75 season. Two years later, he signed with his hometown Rangers, where his role as an "enforcer" endeared him to Ranger fans. Fotiu played with the Rangers until 1979, when he was claimed by the Hartford Whalers in the 1979 NHL Expansion Draft. Fotiu's popularity as a Ranger was enhanced by his willingness to throw pucks up into the Madison Square Garden "blue seats" after pre-game warmups, where previously he sat as a young fan. The "blue seats" were the least expensive and farthest seats from the action, far beyond where pucks would normally land during game play.

Fotiu's second tour with the Whalers would not last long as he would be traded back to the Rangers during the middle of the 1980–81 NHL season, where he would remain for five seasons. He was traded to the Calgary Flames in 1986 and would help guide the Flames to their first Stanley Cup finals appearance. Fotiu would also play for the Philadelphia Flyers and briefly with the Edmonton Oilers before retiring from professional play in 1990.

After retiring, Fotiu moved into coaching, and was most recently an assistant coach of the Hartford Wolf Pack.

[edit] External links

• Nick Fotiu's career stats at The Internet Hockey Database
• Nick Fotiu's biography at Legends of Hockey