Jean Potvin

Jean Rene Potvin (March 25, 1949 – March 15, 2022) is a retired Canadian professional defenceman who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Los Angeles Kings, Philadelphia Flyers, New York Islanders, Cleveland Barons and Minnesota North Stars.
==Playing career==
Potvin played defenceman for the Los Angeles Kings, Philadelphia Flyers, New York Islanders, Cleveland Barons and Minnesota North Stars from 1971 to 1981. He finished his NHL career with 63 goals and 224 assists in 613 career games. 
Potvin was involved in the last Christmas Day fight in NHL history. Potvin, who played for the Los Angeles Kings at the time, fought Ernie Hicke of the California Golden Seals on December 25, 1971. Both players were charged with 5 penalty minutes. Potvin and Hicke were later teammates on the Islanders from 1973 to 1975.
He also played for the Springfield Kings of the AHL and Oklahoma City Stars of the CHL.
His brother, Hockey Hall of Famer Denis Potvin, was a teammate of Jean's with the Islanders for a number of years. A cousin Marc Potvin also played in the NHL.
Potvin won the Stanley Cup in 1980 with the New York Islanders. In 1981 he played only 18 games for the Islanders. His name was still engraved on the Cup in 1981, even though he did not qualify.
==Broadcasting career==
Potvin worked on Islander radio broadcasts both late in his playing career and following his retirement, when he was paired mainly with Barry Landers. Potvin won the Stanley Cup in 1980 with the Islanders in spite of spending the entire playoff run in the announcer's booth serving as color commentator with radio play-by-play man Bob Lawrence. In 1981 he played only 18 games for the Islanders. His name was still engraved on the Cup in 1981, even though he did not qualify. Again, he spent the playoffs serving as color commentator with Landers. When his playing career ended after the 1981 season, Potvin worked as the radio color commentator for the New York Islanders' broadcasts for the next eight years.
==Personal life==
Potvin was married to Lorraine until his death. Together, they had three children: Kim, Leslie, and Justin.
Potvin was recruited by Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette as an institutional salesman in 1990. Over the course of the next 23 years, he worked for quality institutional firms including First Albany, Oppenheimer & Company, and Morgan Keegan & Company. Actively involved with different charities over the years, Potvin was also on the Board of Directors of the Boy Scouts of America in Nassau County for over a decade. In January 2014, Potvin accepted a position with Catholic Charities of Brooklyn and Queens, becoming the senior vice president for giving.
Potvin died on March 15, 2022, at a hospital in Weston, Florida. He was 72 years old.
==External links==
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*Picture of Jean Potvin's name on the 1980 Stanley Cup plaque
Category:Born in 1949
Category:Cleveland Barons (NHL) players
Category:Los Angeles Kings players
Category:Minnesota North Stars players
Category:New York Islanders players
Category:Ottawa 67's alumni
Category:Philadelphia Flyers players
Category:Springfield Kings players
Category:Stanley Cup champions
Category:Canadian ice hockey players
Category:Springfield Kings players
Category:Oklahoma City Stars players
Category:Cleveland Barons (NHL) players
Category:Retired in 1981
Category:Dead in 2022