The "Potvin Sucks" chant originated in the aftermath of Potvin's hit on Rangers center Ulf Nilsson on Feb. 25, 1979. It was a clean hit, but Nilsson's skate got caught in a rut, breaking his ankle, and sidelining him for months. What originated as a chant directly aimed at Potvin when he touched the puck has since become ubiquitous at Madison Square Garden, chanted at games and concerts, regardless of whether the Islanders are playing.
Initially, it bothered Potvin, but he's come to find the humor and bright side in the longstanding chant. Potvin just laughed when he heard the band Phish said it during a concert at MSG.
"By the time we got to 2010 it was kind of fun," Potvin said. "There's a whole new generation so I'm taking it kind of like handing over an olive branch. It's kind of saying, hey, this has been great, you've kept my name alive over these years. Potvin socks seems to make sense."