New York Islanders head coach Patrick Roy is no stranger to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Hall of Fame goaltender turned coach has set multiple playoff records over his 19-year career.
New York Islanders head coach Patrick Roy is no stranger to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Hall of Fame goaltender turned coach has set multiple playoff records over his 19-year career.
On this day in 1996, 28 years ago, Roy appeared in his 133rd playoff game in the crease while with the Colorado Avalanche.
It was Game 1 of the 1996 Stanley Cup Final, which saw Roy's Avalanche defeat the Florida Panthers 3-1.
Ironically, the Panthers are the Eastern Conference Champions once again this season, the same calendar year that Roy returned behind an NHL bench.
The Hockey Gods are having some fun.
After winning Game 1, Roy the Avalanche went on to sweep that series, as Roy won his third of four Stanley Cups.
Posting a 2.10 GAA with a .921 SV% and three shutouts in 22 appearances, the 1996 Stanley Cup Playoffs was the one time out of his four where Roy did not win the Conn Smythe Trophy, given to the MVP of the playoffs.
Roy still sits atop the all-time playoff appearance list for goaltenders with 247.
New Jersey Devils legend Martin Brodeur sits second with 205 appearances.
Marc-Andre Fleury, who is still active with the Minnesota Wild, is third with 169 appearances.
Islanders legend and four-time champion Billy Smith is in eighth place with 132, just one spot above longtime Ranger Henrik Lundqvist, who played 130 playoff games.
Roy passed Smith on this day, 28 years ago.
Many former Islanders are in the top 50, including Chris Osgood, Ron Hextall, Evgeni Nabokov, Kelly Hrudey, Roberto Luongo, and current Islander Semyon Varlamov, who has 65 total playoff appearances.
Patrick Roy set the record 28 years ago today, and as the Islanders head coach, he will look to add more playoff game appearances to his resume as the team enters a big offseason in 2024 after losing in five games to the Carolina Hurricanes in the First Round.