Patrick Côté

Patrick Côté (born January 24, 1975) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He spent parts of six seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) before continuing his career in Quebec's Ligue Nord-Américaine de Hockey.

Biography Côté was born in LaSalle, Quebec, a suburb of Montreal known for its strong hockey culture and deep ties to the sport. During his youth, he showcased his skills on a larger stage by competing in the prestigious 1989 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament where he represented a minor ice hockey team from Saint-Laurent, Quebec.

Chosen 37th overall by the Dallas Stars in the 1995 NHL entry draft, Côté appeared in only eight NHL games across three seasons with the team. He later joined the Nashville Predators, recording three points (one goal and two assists) in 91 games over two seasons while amassing 313 penalty minutes. Côté still holds the Predators’ single‑season record for penalty minutes, racking up 242 during the 1998-99 campaign, the franchise's inaugural NHL season. He also suited up for six games with the Edmonton Oilers and went on to spend several seasons in the Ligue Nord-Américaine de Hockey from 2001 to 2008.

In 2002, Côté's life took a troubling turn when he was taken into custody in Malone, New York, after border authorities discovered 30 pounds of marijuana hidden in his vehicle during a routine stop. He ultimately avoided the most serious penalties by pleading guilty to a lesser charge. On July 22, 2014, Côté was sentenced to 30 months in prison after pleading guilty to robbing two banks in the suburbs of Montreal.

Career statistics Regular season Playoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 1993–94 Beauport Harfangs QMJHL 48 2 4 6 230 12 1 0 1 61 1994–95 Beauport Harfangs QMJHL 56 20 20 40 314 17 8 8 16 115 1995–96 Michigan K-Wings IHL 57 4 6 10 239 3 0 0 0 2 1995–96 Dallas Stars NHL 2 0 0 0 5 — — — — — 1996–97 Michigan K-Wings IHL 58 14 10 24 237 4 2 0 2 6 1996–97 Dallas Stars NHL 3 0 0 0 27 — — — — — 1997–98 Michigan K-Wings IHL 4 2 0 2 4 — — — — — 1997–98 Dallas Stars NHL 3 0 0 0 15 — — — — — 1998–99 Nashville Predators NHL 70 1 2 3 242 — — — — — 1999–00 Nashville Predators NHL 21 0 0 0 70 — — — — — 2000–01 Hamilton Bulldogs AHL 16 0 1 1 61 — — — — — 2000–01 Edmonton Oilers NHL 6 0 0 0 18 — — — — — 2001–02 Laval Chiefs LHSPQ 6 0 0 0 53 — — — — — 2002–03 Laval Chiefs LHSPQ 19 4 3 7 134 10 0 2 2 62 2003–04 Laval Chiefs LHSMQ 28 0 6 6 320 6 1 0 1 23 2004–05 Laval Chiefs LNAH 4 0 0 0 23 — — — — — 2005–06 Laval Chiefs LNAH 14 2 1 3 81 3 0 0 0 68 2006–07 St-Jean Chiefs LNAH 28 3 9 12 184 9 0 2 2 42 2007–08 Sorel-Tracy Mission LNAH 8 1 1 2 34 — — — — — NHL totals 105 1 2 3 377 — — — — —