Tom Poti

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.

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. 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. For the rest of his career, 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 seven games on April 28, 2009.

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. 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, later becoming a part-owner of the Boston Bandits junior ice hockey organization.

Personal life Poti resides in Sandwich, Massachusetts, with his wife Jessica and their two children.

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

Career statistics Regular season and playoffs Regular season Playoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 1993–94 Cushing Academy HS-Prep 30 10 35 45 — — — — — — 1994–95 Cushing Academy HS-Prep 36 17 54 71 35 — — — — — 1994–95 Central Mass Outlaws MBHL 8 8 10 18 — — — — — — 1995–96 Cushing Academy HS-Prep 29 14 59 73 18 — — — — — 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 1999–2000 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

International Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM 1996 United States WJC 5th 6 0 3 3 0 1997 United States WJC 6 1 2 3 4 2002 United States OG 6 0 1 1 4 Junior totals 12 1 5 6 4 Senior totals 6 0 1 1 4

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