Hockey player Patrick Roy (goalkeeper): biography, awards and achievements

Patrick Roy is a living legend of the Colorado Avalanche. During his nineteen-year career as a hockey player, he was able to set many records and become a four-time winner of the Stanley Cup.

The beginning of the way

With the departure of Patrick Roy, number thirty-three became history for all fans of the Colorado Avalanche. Four - time winner of the Stanley Cup is a native of the Canadian provincial town of Quebec City. Rua was born on October 5th, 1965. In the same year and day, another famous hockey player, Mario Lemieux, also appeared. His subsequent successful performances for the National Hockey League are still a great mystery for many true hockey experts.

Prior to the NHL appearance, Patrick Roy played for Granby Byesons, where he could consistently pass up to five goals per game. 1984 was a turning point for the awkward, lanky guy. He acquired the "Montreal Canadiens" and gave him the debut goalkeeper's sweatshirt with the fifty-first number. In the first game, the novice could only appear on the ice in one period. After his appearance, he was immediately sent by the leadership of the team to the club "Byzones" for advanced training courses. By the end of the season, Rua looked more dignified on the ice, which eventually helped him to become the first goalkeeper of the "Sherbrooke Canadiens", performing in the second-rate hockey league in the US. Patrick Roy, the goalkeeper young, but very ambitious, helped to become his club owner of the Cup.

And again - in Montreal

In the next season, the athlete returned to Montreal, who left the year before. But the leadership of the team, again underestimating the potential of the Canadian, puts him the third goalkeeper. However, the strong-willed character of Rua, which so often recalls the coaches of "Montreal", helps him to adequately cope with unusually heavy physical loads. Patrick quickly managed to get used to the top division and by the end of the season he became the main goalkeeper of "Montreal". By the way, in the same year the club in the 23rd time won the most honorable overseas trophy - the Stanley Cup. Rua made a significant contribution to the victory of Montreal, brilliantly played in the playoffs. Patrick was also awarded a separate award - he became the best cup player.

All subsequent years, until 1997, the Canadian hockey player also conducts in the ranks of the Canadiens, densely staking the title of the first goalkeeper. By the way, in 1993, Patrick again with his club becomes the owner of Stanley and receives the title of the best goalkeeper of the National Hockey League.

Patrick Roy: hockey player

Fans of hockey are often called Rua the creator of the so-called "butterfly" style. However, they mistakenly believe that it was Patrick who first stood in the gate with a "butterfly". The inventor of "butterfly" is actually the legendary Glen Hall.

But it was Patrick Roy who was able to bring this game style to the right level. The main secret of the goalkeeper's success was firm rolls forward, thanks to which the angle of fire immediately decreased. At the time of the blow, Rua always crouched on his knees and set both legs apart, forming a so-called butterfly. Thus, Patrick almost entirely covered the entire lower part of the hockey gates. Now, almost all NHL goalkeepers use this style of play on the ice.

Departure from the Montreal Canadiens

Coaches who were at the helm of the "Montreal", not once noted the excessively explosive nature of the Canadian goalkeeper. Indeed, Rua rarely could tolerate unreasonable criticism. Especially keenly the goalkeeper perceived unsuccessful games in the composition of his favorite team. They were the main reason for Roy's departure from Montreal.

After the conquest of the Stanley Cup in 1993, which was mentioned above, the Montreal was led by Mario Tremblay. His method of training, based on unlimited submission, immediately fell out of favor to a number of players. Roy also was no exception. Because of the misunderstanding in the team, "Montreal" not only could not repeat last year's success, but spent its worst season in the NHL. During the games Patrick several times casually spoke of his departure. The last straw for Rua was a home game against the Detroit Red Wings. Patrick conceded eleven goals at once. But Tremblay, even in the first period, noticed that Rua is in bad shape, did not begin to make a substitution, thereby exposing the general ridicule to the once best league goalkeeper. At the end of the match, the coach finally decided to replace the athlete. But the proud nature of the Canadian did not allow him to leave the ice arena so easily. Stepping past the bench with spare players, Rua approached the club's president and shouted that this game would be his last in the "Montreal".

Four days later Patrick Roy has already tried on a sweater "Quebec Nordix", the club of his long-standing dream. During the off-season, the team moved to Denver and took the name of the Colorado Avalanche.

"Colorado" against the "red wings"

Again, the main culprit of victories for his club was Patrick Roy. The hockey player, whose photo in the new form of "Colorado Avalanche" is presented below, could again enter the battle for the Stanley Cup. Also, thanks to the appearance of the athlete in Colorado, the hockey world was able to watch with ecstasy the most brilliant confrontations between the Rua team and its sworn enemy, the Detroit Red Wings. By the way, the first match against the "red wings" was for Patrick's very flop. In the home game, the goalkeeper was able to miss seven Detroit players at once. But this failure only hardened the already hard character of the Canadian. The subsequent matches against the "wings" are difficult to characterize by simple hockey fights. Thanks to the desperate temper of Patrick, these games turned into a real ice slaughter. Suffice it to recall the two fights that Rua made with the goalkeepers of Detroit.

Completion of career

At 37, Rua decided to leave the ice. As for the departure of the brilliant goalkeeper, the fans of the "Colorado" arranged a real holiday. Patrick Roy, photo Which in the eternal shirt of the club can be seen below, has become a real symbol of the team. At the farewell ceremony, the hockey player came along with his family. Fans of the standing team applauded the great goalkeeper, who managed to do so much for their native club. In the same place at the ceremony, the general secret decision of the leadership of the team and the fans for Patrick was permanently fixed on his beloved thirty-third number.

During his nineteen-year career as a hockey player, Rua was able to establish several major records at once. He won four times the honorable overseas trophy first with the "Montreal", and then with the "Colorado Avalanche". Patrick thrice became the most valuable hockey player of the National Hockey League and also got the title of the best goalkeeper three times. January 21, 1993 was a special date in the career of the Canadian. It was on this day in the game against the "Dallas Stars" Patrick out the 1000th time on the ice. Total athlete held in the hockey arena 1,029 matches. Also Patrick Roy Is the record holder for the total number of played "dry" matches and the number of victories won.