Potvin recalls challenges of 1st training camp with Islanders in 1973

Legendary hockey reporter Stan Fischler writes a weekly scrapbook for NHL.com. Fischler, known as "The Hockey Maven," shares his humor and insight with readers each Wednesday.

This week Fischler reaches back a half-century when a heralded junior hockey defenseman named Denis Potvin attended his first training camp with the New York Islanders. Though “concerned” at the time, Potvin ended his NHL career 15 seasons later a four-time Stanley Cup champion who won the Norris Trophy as the top NHL defenseman three times.

What path did you take to reach your first NHL training camp?

"My father was my inspiration. He was a good enough player to be invited to a Detroit Red Wings camp. But whatever NHL future was in store for him ended when he suffered a broken back that was so serious, he even was rejected when he tried to join the Canadian armed forces for World War II. But he passed on his love for hockey down to his sons, my older brothers Bob and Jean as well as to me. Dad's misfortune was, in a sense, our good fortune. We were the branches of the Potvin hockey tree and Dad was the trunk, the original from which we grew."

When did you feel that you were good enough to take part in an NHL camp?

"Jean, who was four years older than me, was part of my confidence builder. When I started playing 'serious hockey,' he was one of the 'big guys' and I pushed him to let me play with him and against fellas who were much older and bigger than me. But I was holding my own. When I started in junior hockey, I was only 14 but I was skating against guys who were 19 and 20 years old. In retrospect, I'd say I was precocious, but that trait never held me back. I had a tremendous amount of motivation behind me and a great role model. Jean Beliveau, who was the captain of so many Stanley Cup-winning Montreal Canadiens teams."

As a junior hockey star, when did you start thinking about an NHL career?

"When I made it to the Ottawa 67's junior team, I already was playing a hitting game. Even though I was one of the youngest players in the league, I hit everyone in sight and even took on Dave Schultz, who later became the so-called 'Heavyweight Champion’ of the NHL. I gained respect in juniors because the opposition knew that if anyone hit me, that I'd give it right back. And after that, they wouldn't bother me again. But I started to wonder about the NHL when critics in the media started writing about me. That just added to my confidence because those media guys had nothing to gain by praising me."

Which journalist gave you a big boost?

Earl McRae, who was a solid writer, did a story on me for The Canadian magazine. 'It's obvious Potvin is something special,' he wrote. 'He's part of the play and then he's not. He seems to transcend the action. His moves are so cool, so confident, never false. He rules all he surveys and there is no one to threaten his kingdom.' That was high praise from a smart hockey guy and other journalists began noticing me. By the 1971-72 season, I could feel that I was ready for the NHL. Not that I wanted to hear that kind of stuff, but some of the writers started calling me 'The next Bobby Orr’ and I hadn't even been drafted yet."

What was that 1973 NHL Draft like for you?

"I have to start with the fact that I had decided that I wasn't going to play in the World Hockey Association. Plus, it was pretty obvious that I'd go first overall in the '73 NHL Draft. Which meant that the big question was whether the Islanders -- they had the first pick -- would go for me. The reason that there even was a question is that Montreal's GM Sammy Pollock was trying to make a deal with Bill Torrey, the ‘Isles’ boss. Pollock was offering Torrey a bunch of NHL players in exchange for the Islanders first pick -- me. Maybe it seemed ironic -- considering that I grew up a Canadiens fan -- but I wanted no part of the ‘Habs.’"

Why not?

"I knew that every red-blooded French-Canadian was supposed to want to play hockey for the Canadiens. But I wasn't one of them. I didn't want to be traded to Montreal because I was afraid I'd be under tremendous pressure to be an instant superstar. Also, I knew that there was a long list of players who had cracked under the strain of having to live up to those demanding Montreal rooters. I saw what happened to Guy Lafleur in his rookie year and how they nearly drove him crazy, wanting him to be another Jean Beliveau. I was delighted that nothing came of the Canadiens offer and that Bill Torrey rebuffed Sam Pollock and picked me."

Describe your first NHL training camp in 1973.

"We trained in Peterborough, Ontario, and I was lucky. My older brother Jean was with the big team and he made me feel right at home. So did some other guys like Andre St. Laurent who I had played against in junior hockey. I won't lie about it, I was reassured to know that there was a large contingent of French-Canadians in camp. Besides St. Laurent, we had Richard Grenier, Germain Gagnon and Gerry Desjardins."

How nervous were you?

"I was concerned about how the other players felt about me. Their acceptance of the No. 1 rookie -- or lack of acceptance -- could make or break me. Otherwise, I felt good physically and mentally. In terms of acceptance, the guy who turned it all around was captain Eddie Westfall. His reaction to me would be pivotal. He was to arrive the day after I got to camp. We were in the lobby of the Holiday Inn when Ed strode in with the usual big grin on his face. He spotted me immediately. Our eyes met and I awaited his reaction. It was quick and warm. 'Welcome to the Islanders!' he shouted, pumped my hand, and before I knew it invited me out for a round of golf. Eddie and I became good friends right from the start."

Who gave you a hard time?

"Gerry Hart, a tough defenseman. My first impression was that Gerry didn't want to meet anybody who was new to the club, least of all big-shot Denis Potvin. I suspected that he was worried about me taking his job away from him. Once he was convinced that his job was safe, he began to come around and to be more friendly. After a while we'd find ourselves sitting across a restaurant table having long talks because we learned that we had a lot of mutual interests. I also had a hard time at first with our new coach, Al Arbour.

What was the problem?

"The first time we sat down at camp, Al said to me, 'I'm worried about you. You're overweight by at least 10 pounds.' So, I told ‘Radar’ that I had worked out all summer and felt good, although maybe a little slower than I should have been. Then, Al added: 'I'm gonna’ be harder on you than with some of the other guys.' That bothered me a bit until Bill Torrey added some softer advice. 'Just play your game,' Bill said. 'Take your time coming along if you want but be ready for the season.'"

How did you feel in the preseason games?

"I knew that people would resent me. It would either be resentment, envy or hate. My first contact with these sentiments came after our first exhibition game with the Rangers. We came from behind and tied them, 6-6. Apparently, some of the more childish Rangers had made a pact before the game not to answer press questions about their first impressions of Denis Potvin. Brad Park was one. After he was asked about my game, he said, ‘I'll reserve my decision for now.' That didn't bother me.

What did you learn in that first training camp and preseason?

"Nobody made me feel inferior. I really felt that I was in the big time. I felt a new drive inside me, pushing me, pushing me. I wanted to keep going up."