Who was Pat LaFontaine?
Posted: Tuesday, August 10, 2010
by Dr. Carla Goddard
One of the greatest American born players spent his entire career with New York based teams. Who are we talking about? Pat LaFontaine will go into hockey history for the United States as being one of, if not the greatest American born player in NHL. Even when LaFontaine retired, he remained loyal to the New York area working for the Islanders as an adviser.
Lafontaine suffered his first concussion after a controversial, open ice hit by James Patrick. The controversial hits that LaFontaine suffered has resulted in some of the major NHL rule revisions seen in the game today. LaFontaine refusing to resign with the Islanders, he was traded with to the Sabres in 1991. That season he exploded offensively gaining personal best and team best records in scoring. That year made him the only American born player to score 148 goals in one season.
LaFontaine's off ice character sets him a part and in 1995 he was awarded the Bill Masterton Trophy as the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to the sport of ice hockey. In 1996 it was proven that he was deserving of the award when in a game against the Penguins he was hammered with high hit to the head leaving him with a concussion. It was determined that the hit caused a condition called post- concussion syndrome. Doctors and the Sabres refused to clear LaFontaine to return to the game of hockey. Unable to accept the decision and determined to continuing playing the sport he loved so much, he was traded to the New York Rangers. He played in the 1998 season but on March 16 1998 LaFontaine collided with a teammate and suffered yet another concussion. That was to be his last game as a NHL player. He officially retired on October 12, 1999 at the age of 34.
Lafontaine was inducted into the both the Hockey Hall of Fame and the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in 2003. Today, the charismatic player devotes his energy to the Companions in Courage Foundation, an organization he founded to build game rooms in children's hospitals across America. The Lion's Den game rooms he helps to fund helps bring the outside world in to the hospital and enables sick children to have their dreams come true during a desperate time in their lives. In 2000, the Congressional Medal of Honor Society bestowed the Patriot Award on LaFontaine for the contribution he made to uplift military morale during his career as an NHL player. He was also recognized with the First Annual Honorary GOAL Award that recognizes and celebrates individuals who have overcome depression and go on and live through community service. In 2003, he was recognized with the International Humanitarian Award by the Gift of Life Foundation for his support of the organization working with third world countries children.
an organization promoting the cure and treatment of children suffering from heart disease in third world countries.
Pat LaFontaine is an icon in hockey history, but even more so as an example of the gift of giving through his charitable work.
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Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)Interesting article. Great to hear Pat LaFontaine is doing so much good. He was an awesome player. I think Pat would disagree with the author's remark that he's "the only American born player to score 148 goals in one season" - I looked it up - that should be the total number of goals + assists in that season. If that were true he would have trumped Gretzky huge! Thanks for tuning in!
~SB-t-
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