Tom Poti
| Tom Poti | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 | |||
| Born |
March 22, 1977 Worcester, MA, USA | ||
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (191 cm) | ||
| Weight | 210 lb (95 kg; 15 st 0 lb) | ||
| Position | Defense | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for |
Edmonton Oilers New York Rangers New York Islanders Washington Capitals | ||
| National team |
 United States | ||
| NHL Draft |
59th overall, 1996 Edmonton Oilers | ||
| Playing career | 1998–2013 | ||
| Olympic medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Men's ice hockey | ||
.svg.png){kind=icon} | 2002 Salt Lake City | Ice hockey |
Thomas Emilio Poti (born March 22, 1977) is an American former professional ice hockey player. He played 14 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL).
Playing career
He attended Saint Peter-Marian High School for two years. A graduate of the Cushing Academy, Poti moved on to play for Boston University of Hockey East. At BU Poti became the first defenseman since Dave Archambault to win the Beanpot MVP. Poti was drafted in the third round of the 1996 NHL Entry Draft, 59th overall, by the Edmonton Oilers.
On March 19, 2002, the Rangers acquired Poti and Rem Murray in exchange for Mike York and a fourth round selection in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft. Poti was the point man on New York's top power-play unit until Fedor Tyutin took over. During his time with the Rangers, Poti became unpopular with his team's fans, to the point that he was booed at home whenever he touched the puck and cheered when he left the ice for a player change.[1][2]
In the summer of 2006 Poti signed as a free agent with the Rangers' crosstown rival New York Islanders. He continued to hear choruses of boos when he touched the puck at Madison Square Garden.
On July 1, 2007, Poti signed a four-year deal with the Washington Capitals worth $3.5 million per year. Poti won his first playoff series with the Capitals when they eliminated the Rangers in 7 games on 28 April 2009.
He signed a three-year contract extension with the Capitals in 2010. However, a recurring groin injury held him to only 21 games in 2010–11, and he did not play at all the following season. In September 2011, Washington General Manager George McPhee said that the injury has not improved and Poti's NHL career may be finished.[3]
However Poti was cleared to return upon the start of the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season. He was assigned to the Hershey Bears of the AHL on January 13, 2013 for a conditioning assignment, but was eventually called up to Washington, playing in 16 games. He became a free agent at the end of the season, and he announced his retirement on May 1, 2014.[4]
Personal life
Poti resides in Sandwich, Massachusetts, with his wife Jessica and their two children.[4] He suffers from severe food allergies. Contact with such foods as chocolate, peanuts, and Monosodium glutamate can be potentially lethal. Poti carries an EpiPen epinephrine auto-injector at all times.[5][6]
Despite growing up in Massachusetts, home of the Boston Red Sox, Poti is a fan of the New York Yankees.
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1996–97 | Boston University | HE | 38 | 4 | 17 | 21 | 54 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1997–98 | Boston University | HE | 38 | 13 | 29 | 42 | 60 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1998–99 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 73 | 5 | 16 | 21 | 42 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 1999–00 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 76 | 9 | 26 | 35 | 65 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2000–01 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 81 | 12 | 20 | 32 | 60 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | ||
| 2001–02 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 55 | 1 | 16 | 17 | 32 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2001–02 | New York Rangers | NHL | 11 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2002–03 | New York Rangers | NHL | 80 | 11 | 37 | 48 | 58 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2003–04 | New York Rangers | NHL | 67 | 10 | 14 | 24 | 47 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005–06 | New York Rangers | NHL | 73 | 3 | 20 | 23 | 70 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 2006–07 | New York Islanders | NHL | 78 | 6 | 38 | 44 | 74 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 6 | ||
| 2007–08 | Washington Capitals | NHL | 71 | 2 | 27 | 29 | 46 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 | ||
| 2008–09 | Washington Capitals | NHL | 52 | 3 | 10 | 13 | 28 | 14 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 4 | ||
| 2009–10 | Washington Capitals | NHL | 70 | 4 | 20 | 24 | 42 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 5 | ||
| 2010–11 | Washington Capitals | NHL | 21 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2012–13 | Hershey Bears | AHL | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2012–13 | Washington Capitals | NHL | 16 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 824 | 69 | 258 | 327 | 588 | 51 | 2 | 17 | 19 | 29 | ||||
Awards and honors
| Award | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| NCAA | ||
| All-Hockey East Rookie Team | 1996–97 | |
| All-NCAA All-Tournament Team | 1997 | [7] |
| All-Hockey East First Team | 1997–98 | |
| AHCA East First-Team All-American | 1997–98 | |
| NHL | ||
| All-Rookie Team | 1998–99 | |
References
- ↑ nysportsexpress.com
- ↑ "Islanders lure Poti". CBC Sports. 2006-07-08. Retrieved 2006-07-08.
- ↑ "Tom Poti fails medical exam, is placed on long term IR". Washington Post. 2011-09-17. Retrieved 2011-09-17.
- 1 2 "TOM POTI ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT AFTER 14 NHL SEASONS". NHLPA. May 1, 2014. Retrieved May 1, 2014.
- ↑ "Allergies drove Poti into hockey". Canoe.ca. 2006-09-06. Retrieved 2008-09-05.
- ↑ "Isles' Poti has learned to live with severe allergies". National Hockey League. 2008-04-04. Retrieved 2008-04-06.
- ↑ "NCAA Frozen Four Records" (PDF). NCAA.org. Retrieved 2013-06-19.