Patrick Roy
Only player to win three Conn Smythe Trophies.
Patrick Jacques Roy is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach, executive, and former player who most recently served as head coach for the New York Islanders. He is hailed in sports media as the 'king of goaltenders' and was named one of the 100 Greatest NHL Players in history in 2017. Roy split his playing career between the Montreal Canadiens (11 years) and the Colorado Avalanche (8 years), winning the Stanley Cup four times, two with each franchise.
Quick Facts
- Halloffame
- 2006
- Birth Date
- 1965-10-05
- Birth Place
- Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
- Height Ft
- 6
- Height In
- 2
- Weight Lb
- 190
- Position
- Goaltender
- Catches
- Left
- Played For
- Montreal Canadiens / Colorado Avalanche
- Coached For
- Colorado Avalanche / New York Islanders
- Ntl Team
- CAN
- Draft
- 51st overall
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Roy was drafted 51st overall in the third round of the 1984 NHL entry draft by the Montreal Canadiens, despite being a fan of the rival Quebec Nordiques. He made his NHL debut on February 23, 1985, replacing starting goaltender Doug Soetaert in the third period, earning a win without allowing a goal. He then led the Sherbrooke Canadiens of the AHL to a Calder Cup championship with ten wins in 13 playoff games. In the following season, Roy took over as starting goaltender after Steve Penney was injured, leading the Canadiens to an unexpected Stanley Cup title and winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as the youngest winner ever at age 20. He won the William M. Jennings Trophy in 1987, 1988, and 1989, and the Vezina Trophy in 1989, 1990, and 1992. In the 1993 playoffs, after a newspaper suggested he be traded, Roy responded by winning four straight games against the Nordiques, setting a record with ten straight playoff overtime wins, and leading the Canadiens to another Stanley Cup, earning his second Conn Smythe Trophy. His final season with Montreal began disastrously; on December 2, 1995, he allowed nine goals on 26 shots in an 11–1 loss to the Detroit Red Wings, and was pulled by head coach Mario Tremblay, with whom he had a strained relationship.
Reader's Guide
Roy is widely credited with popularizing the butterfly style of goaltending, which has since become the dominant style around the world. In 2004, a panel of 41 writers selected him as the greatest goaltender in NHL history, a result echoed by a simultaneous fan poll. He is the only player in NHL history to win the Conn Smythe Trophy three times, the only one to do so in three different decades (1980s, 1990s, and 2000s), and the only one to do so for two different teams. His number 33 sweater is retired by both the Montreal Canadiens and the Colorado Avalanche. After retiring, Roy served as head coach of the Colorado Avalanche, the Quebec Remparts of the QMJHL, and the New York Islanders from January 2024 until April 2026. His legacy as a transformative goaltender and a four-time Stanley Cup champion is cemented by his Hall of Fame induction on November 13, 2006.
Did You Know?
- He won the Conn Smythe Trophy in three different decades: 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s.
- He was selected as the greatest goaltender in NHL history by a panel of 41 writers in 2004.
More in Hockey Hall of Fame Goaltenders 1-24
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