Tom Poti

{{Infobox ice hockey player

| image = Tom Poti.jpg

| caption = Poti with the Washington Capitals in 2008

| image_size = 230px

| played_for = Edmonton Oilers
New York Rangers
New York Islanders
Washington Capitals

| league = National Hockey League

| position = Defense

| shoots = Left

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 3

| weight_lb = 210

| ntl_team = United States

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1977|3|22|mf=y}}

| birth_place = Worcester, Massachusetts, U.S.

| draft = 59th overall

| draft_year = 1996

| draft_team = Edmonton Oilers

| career_start = 1998

| career_end = 2013

}}

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

As a youth, Poti played in the 1991 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a minor ice hockey team from Hartford, Connecticut.{{cite web|url=https://www.publicationsports.com/ressources/files/439/Joueurs_Pro.pdf|title=Pee-Wee players who have reached NHL or WHA|year=2018|website=Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament|access-date=February 1, 2019|archive-date=March 6, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190306085544/https://www.publicationsports.com/ressources/files/439/Joueurs_Pro.pdf|url-status=dead}}

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 in 1998, Poti became the first defenseman since Dave Archambault to win the Beanpot MVP.{{cite book |last=Corbett |first=Bernard |date=November 14, 2002 |title=The Beanpot: Fifty Years of Thrills, Spills, and Chills |location=Boston, MA |publisher=Northeastern University Press |pages=[https://archive.org/details/beanpot00bern/page/174 174–176] |isbn=978-1555535315 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/beanpot00bern/page/174 }} Poti was drafted in the third round of the 1996 NHL Entry Draft, 59th overall, by the Edmonton Oilers.{{cite web|url=http://www.hockeysfuture.com/articles/1306/tom_poti/|title=Tom Poti|work=HockeysFuture.com|date=December 20, 1997|accessdate=March 26, 2019}}

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.{{Cite web |url=http://www.nysportsexpress.com/1/21/departments/NHL.cfm |title=Run of the Mill |access-date=February 14, 2007 |archive-date=November 19, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061119210204/http://www.nysportsexpress.com/1/21/departments/NHL.cfm |url-status=bot: unknown }}

In the summer of 2006, Poti signed as a free agent with the Rangers' crosstown rival New York Islanders. For the rest of his career, he continued to hear choruses of boos when he touched the puck at Madison Square Garden.{{cite news| url = https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/islanders-lure-poti-1.572101 | title = Islanders lure Poti | work = CBC Sports | date = July 8, 2006 | accessdate = July 8, 2006}}{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/apr/27/poti-shines-much-to-the-dismay-of-rangers-fans/|title=Poti scores, draws boos|work=The Washington Times|first=Corey|last=Masisak|date=April 27, 2009|accessdate=March 26, 2019}}

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 seven games on April 28, 2009.{{cite web|url=https://www.hockey-reference.com/playoffs/2009-new-york-rangers-vs-washington-capitals-eastern-conference-quarter-finals.html|publisher=Hockey Reference|title=2009 NHL Stanley Cup Eastern Conference Quarter-Finals; Washington Capitals defeat New York Rangers 4-3|accessdate=March 26, 2019}}

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.{{cite news| url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capitals-insider/post/tom-poti-fails-medical-exam-is-placed-on-long-term-injury/2011/09/17/gIQApabyZK_blog.html |first=Tarik|last=El-Bashir| title = Tom Poti fails medical exam, is placed on long term IR | newspaper = Washington Post | date = September 17, 2011 | accessdate = September 17, 2011}} However, after missing the entire 2011-12 season due to the groin issue, 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,{{Cite news|title=TOM POTI ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT AFTER 14 NHL SEASONS|work=NHLPA|date=May 1, 2014|accessdate=May 1, 2014|url=http://www.nhlpa.com/news/tom-poti-announces-retirement-after-14-nhl-seasons}} later becoming a part-owner of the Boston Bandits junior ice hockey organization.{{cite web|url=https://www.bostonbandits.com/news_article/show/868564|title=Tom Poti Signs as Part Owner of the Boston Bandits|date=December 20, 2017|accessdate=March 26, 2019|publisher=Boston Bandits}}{{cite news|url=https://www.telegram.com/news/20180127/cmass-winter-olympians---where-are-they-now-tom-poti-worcester|title=CMass. Winter Olympians - Where are they now?: Tom Poti, Worcester|first=Bill|last=Ballou|date=January 27, 2018|accessdate=March 26, 2019|newspaper=Telegram & Gazette}}

Personal life

Poti resides in Sandwich, Massachusetts, with his wife Jessica and their two children. He suffers from severe food allergies. Contact with such foods as chocolate, peanuts, fish, Monosodium glutamate (MSG), and most spices and sauces can be potentially lethal. Poti carries an EpiPen epinephrine auto-injector at all times.{{cite web| url = http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Hockey/NHL/NYIslanders/2006/09/06/1807241-ca.html | archive-url = https://archive.today/20120714220630/http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Hockey/NHL/NYIslanders/2006/09/06/1807241-ca.html | url-status = usurped | archive-date = July 14, 2012 | publisher = Canoe.ca | title = Allergies drove Poti into hockey | date = September 6, 2006 | accessdate = September 5, 2008}}{{cite web| url = https://nhl.nbcsports.com/2011/01/11/hold-everything-for-tom-poti-severe-allergies-havent-hurt-his-career/ | title = Hold everything for Tom Poti; Severe allergies haven't hurt his career |first=Joe|last=Yerdon| publisher = NBC Sports | date = January 11, 2011 | accessdate = March 26, 2019}}

Despite growing up in Massachusetts, home of the Boston Red Sox, Poti is a fan of the New York Yankees.{{cite web| url=http://www.espn.com/blog/boston/high-school/post/_/id/2078/new-england-roots-tom-poti|title=New England Roots: Tom Poti|first=Brendan|last=Hall|publisher=ESPN|date=October 25, 2010|accessdate=March 26, 2019}}

Career statistics

=Regular season and playoffs=

border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" style="text-align:center; width:60em"

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="3" bgcolor="#ffffff" |

! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" |

! colspan="5" | Regular season

! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" |

! colspan="5" | Playoffs

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! Season

! Team

! League

! GP

! G

! A

! Pts

! PIM

! GP

! G

! A

! Pts

! PIM

1993–94

| Cushing Academy

| HS-Prep

| 30

| 10

| 35

| 45

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 1994–95

| Cushing Academy

| HS-Prep

| 36

| 17

| 54

| 71

| 35

| —

1994–95

| Central Mass Outlaws

| MBHL

| 8

| 10

| 18

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 1995–96

| Cushing Academy

| HS-Prep

| 29

| 14

| 59

| 73

| 18

| —

1996–97

| Boston University

| HE

| 38

| 4

| 17

| 21

| 54

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 1997–98

| Boston University

| HE

| 38

| 13

| 29

| 42

| 60

| —

1998–99

| Edmonton Oilers

| NHL

| 73

| 5

| 16

| 21

| 42

| 4

| 0

| 1

| 2

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 1999–2000

| Edmonton Oilers

| NHL

| 76

| 9

| 26

| 35

| 65

| 5

| 0

| 1

| 0

2000–01

| Edmonton Oilers

| NHL

| 81

| 12

| 20

| 32

| 60

| 6

| 0

| 2

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2001–02

| Edmonton Oilers

| NHL

| 55

| 1

| 16

| 17

| 32

| —

2001–02

| New York Rangers

| NHL

| 11

| 1

| 7

| 8

| 2

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2002–03

| New York Rangers

| NHL

| 80

| 11

| 37

| 48

| 58

| —

2003–04

| New York Rangers

| NHL

| 67

| 10

| 14

| 24

| 47

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2005–06

| New York Rangers

| NHL

| 73

| 3

| 20

| 23

| 70

| 4

| 0

| 2

2006–07

| New York Islanders

| NHL

| 78

| 6

| 38

| 44

| 74

| 5

| 0

| 3

| 6

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2007–08

| Washington Capitals

| NHL

| 71

| 2

| 27

| 29

| 46

| 7

| 0

| 1

| 8

2008–09

| Washington Capitals

| NHL

| 52

| 3

| 10

| 13

| 28

| 14

| 2

| 5

| 7

| 4

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2009–10

| Washington Capitals

| NHL

| 70

| 4

| 20

| 24

| 42

| 6

| 0

| 4

| 5

2010–11

| Washington Capitals

| NHL

| 21

| 2

| 5

| 7

| 8

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2012–13

| Hershey Bears

| AHL

| 2

| 1

| 0

| 1

| 0

| —

2012–13

| Washington Capitals

| NHL

| 16

| 0

| 2

| —

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="3" | NHL totals

! 824

! 69

! 258

! 327

! 588

! 51

! 2

! 17

! 19

! 29

{{MedalCountry|{{USA}}}}

=International=

border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" ID="Table3" style="text-align:center; width:40em"

ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! Year

! Team

! Event

! Result

! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" |

! GP

! G

! A

! Pts

! PIM

1996

| United States

| WJC

| 5th

| 6

| 0

| 3

| 0

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 1997

| United States

| WJC

| {{silver2}}

| 6

| 1

| 2

| 3

| 4

2002

| United States

| OG

| {{silver2}}

| 6

| 0

| 1

| 4

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="4" | Junior totals

! 12

! 1

! 5

! 6

! 4

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="4" | Senior totals

! 6

! 0

! 1

! 4

Awards and honors

class="wikitable"

! Award

! Year

ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

| colspan="3" | NCAA

All-Hockey East Rookie Team

| 1996–97

All-NCAA All-Tournament Team

| 1997

| {{cite news|title=NCAA Frozen Four Records|url=http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/frozen_4/2009/f4recs.pdf|publisher=NCAA.org|accessdate=June 19, 2013}}

All-Hockey East First Team

| 1997–98

AHCA East First-Team All-American

| 1997–98

ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

| colspan="3" | NHL

All-Rookie Team

| 1998–99

References

External links

{{icehockeystats}}
[http://www.tp3hockey.com Official Website]

Category:1977 births

Category:American men's ice hockey defensemen

Category:Boston University Terriers men's ice hockey players

Category:Edmonton Oilers draft picks

Category:Edmonton Oilers players

Category:Hershey Bears players

Category:Living people

Category:National Hockey League All-Stars

Category:New York Islanders players

Category:New York Rangers players

Category:Olympic silver medalists for the United States in ice hockey

Category:Sportspeople from Barnstable County, Massachusetts

Category:Washington Capitals players

Category:Ice hockey people from Worcester, Massachusetts

Category:Ice hockey players at the 2002 Winter Olympics

Category:Medalists at the 2002 Winter Olympics

Category:People from Sandwich, Massachusetts

Category:AHCA Division I men's ice hockey All-Americans

Category:21st-century American sportsmen