Felix "The Cat" Potvin

Last updated

BIOGRAPHY

BORN: Anjou, Quebec, June 23, 1971.
HOME:
HEIGHT: 6'1"
WEIGHT: 183-190 lbs.
UNIFORM #: 29 (Toronto, NY Islanders, Vancouver, Boston), 39 (Los Angeles).
CATCHES: Left
JUNIOR TEAM: Chicoutimi QMJHL.
SALARY (1996-97): $2,300,000

STYLE: Butterfly.
STRENGTHS: Very strong on first shots - seems to smother rebounds. Excellent on low shots. Good anticipation and confidence. Great reflxes - you don't get the nickname "The Cat" without them.
WEAKNESSES: Goes down too early and stays too deep in the net, leaving him vulnerable to shots in the top corners. Very little lateral mobility. Poor angle goaltender, sometimes depending too much on his reflexes.

Name pronounced PAHT-vihn

OTHER FELIX POTVIN SITES:

The Felix Potvin Page
The Cat Den
Alan's Felix Potvin Hideout
The Potvin Page
The Felix Potvin Page

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING:

"Former backup Damian Rhodes outplayed him as a Senator last year. Will Islander Eric Fichaud too?" (ESPN Hockey 96, p. 109)

"Felix Potvin's steady deterioration in play has been a major reason why the team has steadily fallen over the past three years. With goaltending stats dropping all over the league, his 3.15 average was a disappointment and the third time in four years it has risen rather than fallen. Still, he's only 26, he played 74 games last year and this season he'll finally get the push that many have been saying he needs." (The Hockey News 1997-98 Yearbook, p.171)

"Felix Potvin is still one of the better goaltenders in the league. He was under heavy criticism by fans for his less than spectacular first half, but he was one of the NHL's best players over the final two months. It's no coincidence that he improved when Larry Murphy and Dave Ellett were replaced by Craig Wolanin and Jason Smith." (The Sports Forecaster Hockey '97-'98, p. 183)

"He's the only decent goalie in the organization and will be counted on to bail out the listless Leafs." (The Sports Forecaster Hockey '97-'98, p. 186)

"Acquired from the Leafs for Bryan Berard. Became Curtis Joseph's backup in Toronto and walked out on his teammates because he hadn't been traded quickly enough. A below-average .885 save percentage and 3.71 goals against average, both career lows. Nowehere near the goaltender he used to be. After sitting out a month waiting for his trade, he suffered a groin injury. He played well in his final four games of the season. He will be the Isles' No. 1 goalie until Roberto Luongo is ready. He also could be moved because of his $2.7-million U.S. salary." (The Sports Forecaster 1999-2000, p. 104)

"An all-star, No. 1 goaltender early in his career, Potvin's past turmoils with the Toronto and Long Island organizations are now considered water under the bridge. A reflex goalie, he needs lots of playing time in order to stay sharp. "The Cat" still has a tendency to stay too deep in his net and is often victimized by soft, back-breaking goals. Fortunately, a strong second half last season reestablished him as a legitimate NHL puckstopper. Still in his prime, expect Potvin to capably shoulder the majority of the load in Vancouver." (The Sports Forecaster 2000-01, p. 187)

"The "Cat" went from a cotton-ball kitten in Vancouver to a raging lion in Los Angeles following a midseason trade. The difference in Potvin's play as a member of the Kings was staggering. In Vancouver, he cleared waivers and was sent to the minors for conditioning. Once he got to the Kings, Potvin played some of the best hockey of his nine-year career. In fact, he was a big reason why Los Angeles took out the heavily-favored Detroit Red Wings in six games during the first round of the playoffs. Is Felix the Cat back? Potvin enters 2001-02 with questions surrounding his recent seasons of contrasts. He must continue to prove his worth, since the Kings have high expectations." (The Sports Forecaster 2001-02, p. 209)

"The Kings did well in the off-season by picking up the option year on Potvin's contract. The veteran netminder garnered a few Vezina Trophy votes after a solid first full season with the Kings. He posted the best goals-against average of his 10-year career and regained the consistency that had eluded him since leaving Toronto during the 1998-99 campaign. "Felix the Cat" is an excellent reflex goaltender who plays much deeper in his crease than most NHL goalkeepers. At times, however, he struggles with fat rebounds. The Kings hope Potvin can lead them deep into the playoffs, so they may reduce his workload to 60-65 games." (The Sports Forecaster 2002-03, p. 203)

"Once upon a time, Potvin unseated Grant Fuhr as Toronto's starting netminder. In 2003-04, the roles reversed as Andrew Raycroft relegated the former Calder finalist to the bench with the Boston Bruins. These days, Potvin must accept a full-time backup position. However, he has also entertained offers from the Russian Super League." (The Sports Forecaster 2005-06, p. 104)

TRANSACTIONS:

ACCOLADES:

VEZINA TROPHY BALLOTING:

PTS1st2nd3rdRANKSHARE
1992-931502940.13
2001-02301070.02

ALL-STAR TEAM BALLOTING:

PTS1st2nd3rdRANKSHARE
1992-93652131630.26
2000-011001120.00
2001-02100180.00

INJURIES:

RECORDS:

PENALTY SHOTS:

DID YOU KNOW?

SEASON RECORDS:

REGULAR SEASON
Year  Team                        GP    Min   W   L   T    GA    GAA   Shots    Sv%   ShO   G   A   PiM     S/60    PERS
87-88 Montreal-Bourassa Can. QAAA 27   1585  15   7   3   103   3.90                    3
88-89 Chicoutimi Sagueneens QMJHL 65   3489  25  31   1   271   4.66                    2   0   7    42
89-90 Chicoutimi Sagueneens QMJHL 62   3478  31  26   2   231   3.99                    2   0   0     8
90-91 Chicoutimi Sagueneens QMJHL 54   3216  33  15   4   145   2.71    1618   .910     6   0   0    18    30.19  960.69
      Canada WORLD JUNIOR          2     80                 3   2.25
      Chicoutimi Sague. MEM CUP    3    174   1   2   0     8   2.76                    0
91-92 St. John's Maple Leafs AHL  35   2070  18  10   6   101   2.93    1097   .908     2   0   3     6    31.80  960.93
      Toronto Maple Leafs NHL      4    210   0   2   1     8   2.29     120   .933     0   0   0     0    34.29  990.48
92-93 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL     48   2781  25  15   7   116   2.50    1286   .910     2   0   1     4    27.75  956.04
      St. John's Maple Leafs AHL   5    309   3   0   2    18   3.50     170   .894     0   0   1     0    33.01  949.13
93-94 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL     66   3883  34  22   9   187   2.89    2010   .907     3   0   4     4    31.06  958.73
94-95 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL     36   2144  15  13   7   104   2.91    1120   .907     0   0   0     4    31.34  959.38
95-96 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL     69   4008  30  26  11   192   2.87    2135   .910     2   0   0     4    31.96  963.34
96-97 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL     74   4271  27  36   7   224   3.15    2438   .908     0   0   3    19    34.25  965.20
97-98 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL     67   3865  26  33   7   176   2.73    1882   .906     5   0   0     8    29.22  955.18
      Canada WORLD                 4    240   3   0   1     8   2.00                    0
98-99 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL      5    299   3   2   0    19   3.81     142   .866     0   0   0     0    28.49  913.69
      New York Islanders NHL      11    606   2   7   1    37   3.66     345   .893     0   0   0     0    34.16  949.68
99-00 New York Islanders NHL      22   1273   5  14   3    68   3.21     632   .892     1   0   0     2    29.79  942.05
      Vancouver Canucks NHL       34   1966  12  13   7    85   2.59     906   .906     0   0   2     2    27.65  952.26
00-01 Vancouver Canucks NHL       35   2006  14  17   3   103   3.08     914   .887     1   0   2     2    27.34  932.87
      Los Angeles Kings NHL       23   1410  13   5   5    46   1.96     571   .919     5   0   3     2    24.30  959.94
01-02 Los Angeles Kings NHL       71   4071  31  27   8   157   2.31    1686   .907     6   0   1    19    24.85  948.30
02-03 Los Angeles Kings NHL       42   2367  17  20   3   105   2.66     987   .894     3   0   0     4
03-04 Boston Bruins NHL           28   1605  12   8   6    67   2.50     690   .903     4   0   0     8
THIRTEEN (13) NHL SEASONS        635  36765 266 260  85  1694   2.76   17864  0.905    32   0  16    82

POST-SEASON
Year  Team                        GP    Min   W   L   GA    GAA   Shots    Sv%   ShO   G   A   PiM     S/60    PERS
90-91 Chicoutimi Sagueneens QMJHL 16    992  11   5   46   2.78                    0
91-92 St. John's Maple Leafs AHL  11    642   7   4   41   3.83                    0
92-93 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL     21   1308  11  10   62   2.84     636   .903     1   0   0     6    29.17  951.14
93-94 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL     18   1124   9   9   46   2.46     520   .912     3   0   0     4    27.76  957.80
94-95 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL      7    424   3   4   20   2.83     253   .921     1   0   0     0    35.80  980.62
95-96 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL      6    350   2   4   19   3.27     198   .904     0   0   0     2    34.04  960.77
00-01 Los Angeles Kings NHL       13    812   7   6   33   2.44     361   .909     2   0   0     4    26.67  953.05
01-02 Los Angeles Kings NHL        7    417   3   4   15   2.16     201   .925     1   0   0     0    28.92  973.57
SIX (6) NHL POSTSEASONS           72   4435  35  37  195   2.64    2169  0.910     8   0   0    16    29.34  959.00

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