Tom Poti

Tom Poti
Born (1977-03-22) 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 19982013
Olympic medal record
Men's ice hockey
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 2-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]

Poti was assigned to the Hershey Bears of the AHL on January 13, 2013 for a rehab assignment. 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

  1. nysportsexpress.com
  2. "Islanders lure Poti". CBC Sports. 2006-07-08. Retrieved 2006-07-08.
  3. "Tom Poti fails medical exam, is placed on long term IR". Washington Post. 2011-09-17. Retrieved 2011-09-17.
  4. 1 2 "TOM POTI ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT AFTER 14 NHL SEASONS". NHLPA. May 1, 2014. Retrieved May 1, 2014.
  5. "Allergies drove Poti into hockey". Canoe.ca. 2006-09-06. Retrieved 2008-09-05.
  6. "Isles' Poti has learned to live with severe allergies". National Hockey League. 2008-04-04. Retrieved 2008-04-06.
  7. "NCAA Frozen Four Records" (PDF). NCAA.org. Retrieved 2013-06-19.

External links

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