Tom Poti

Tom Poti
220 px
Born	(1977-03-22) March 22, 1977 Worcester, MA, USA
Height	6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Weight	210 lb (95 kg; 15 st 0 lb)
Position	Defense
Shot	Left
Played for	Edmonton Oilers New York Rangers New York Islanders Washington Capitals
National team	United States
NHL Draft	59th overall, 1996 Edmonton Oilers
Playing career	1998–2013

Olympic medal record
Men's ice hockey
	2002 Salt Lake City	Ice hockey

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

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 Poti became the first defenseman since Dave Archambault to win the Beanpot MVP. Poti was drafted in the third round of the 1996 NHL Entry Draft, 59th overall, by the Edmonton Oilers.

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.

In the summer of 2006 Poti signed as a free agent with the Rangers' crosstown rival New York Islanders. He continued to hear choruses of boos when he touched the puck at Madison Square Garden.

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 7 games on 28 April 2009.

He signed a 2-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.

Poti was assigned to the Hershey Bears of the AHL on January 13, 2013 for a rehab assignment. He announced his retirement on May 1, 2014.

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, and Monosodium glutamate can be potentially lethal. Poti carries an EpiPen epinephrine auto-injector at all times.

Despite growing up in Massachusetts, home of the Boston Red Sox, Poti is a fan of the New York Yankees.

Career statistics

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1996–97	Boston University	HE		38	4	17	21	54		—	—	—	—	—
1997–98	Boston University	HE		38	13	29	42	60		—	—	—	—	—
1998–99	Edmonton Oilers	NHL		73	5	16	21	42		4	0	1	1	2
1999–00	Edmonton Oilers	NHL		76	9	26	35	65		5	0	1	1	0
2000–01	Edmonton Oilers	NHL		81	12	20	32	60		6	0	2	2	2
2001–02	Edmonton Oilers	NHL		55	1	16	17	32		—	—	—	—	—
2001–02	New York Rangers	NHL		11	1	7	8	2		—	—	—	—	—
2002–03	New York Rangers	NHL		80	11	37	48	58		—	—	—	—	—
2003–04	New York Rangers	NHL		67	10	14	24	47		—	—	—	—	—
2005–06	New York Rangers	NHL		73	3	20	23	70		4	0	0	0	2
2006–07	New York Islanders	NHL		78	6	38	44	74		5	0	3	3	6
2007–08	Washington Capitals	NHL		71	2	27	29	46		7	0	1	1	8
2008–09	Washington Capitals	NHL		52	3	10	13	28		14	2	5	7	4
2009–10	Washington Capitals	NHL		70	4	20	24	42		6	0	4	4	5
2010–11	Washington Capitals	NHL		21	2	5	7	8		—	—	—	—	—
2012–13	Hershey Bears	AHL		2	1	0	1	0		—	—	—	—	—
2012–13	Washington Capitals	NHL		16	0	2	2	2		—	—	—	—	—
NHL totals				824	69	258	327	588		51	2	17	19	29

Awards and honors

Award	Year
NCAA
All-Hockey East Rookie Team	1996–97
All-NCAA All-Tournament Team	1997
All-Hockey East First Team	1997–98
AHCA East First-Team All-American	1997–98
NHL
All-Rookie Team	1998–99

External links

• Tom Poti's player profile at NHL.com
• Tom Poti's career statistics at The Internet Hockey Database

• nysportsexpress.com