Marc Potvin

Marc Potvin
Born	(1967-01-29)January 29, 1967 Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Died	January 13, 2006(2006-01-13) (aged 38) Kalamazoo, Michigan, U.S.
Height	6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight	200 lb (91 kg; 14 st 4 lb)
Position	Right wing
Shot	Right
Played for	Detroit Red Wings Los Angeles Kings Hartford Whalers Boston Bruins
NHL draft	169th overall, 1986 Detroit Red Wings
Playing career	1990–1998

Marc Potvin (January 29, 1967 – January 13, 2006) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played 121 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) between 1990 and 1996. The rest of his career, which lasted from 1990 to 1998, was mainly spent in the minor American Hockey League (AHL). After his playing career Potvin became a coach in the minor leagues, until his suicide in 2006. He was the cousin of Denis Potvin and Jean Potvin.

Playing career

Born in Ottawa, Ontario, Potvin, second cousin of Hall of Famer Denis Potvin, was selected by the Detroit Red Wings in the ninth round, 169th overall, in the 1986 NHL Entry Draft. During his career, he played for four different NHL teams: the Red Wings (1990–91 to 1991–92), Los Angeles Kings (1992–93 to 1993–94), Hartford Whalers (1993–94), and Boston Bruins (1994–95 to 1995–96). In 121 NHL games, he scored 3 goals and had 5 assists for 8 points. He also amassed 456 penalty minutes. In 13 NHL playoff games, he scored no goals, had one assist and 50 penalty minutes.

Coaching career

For the 1998–99 season, Potvin was the assistant coach for the Adirondack Red Wings of the American Hockey League. The next season, he made the jump to head coach for the Mississippi Sea Wolves of the ECHL. After only one season there, he became the head coach of the Springfield Falcons of the AHL, where he stayed for two seasons. Part way through the 2003–04 season, he took over the head coach position of the Adirondack IceHawks in the UHL. He would continue coaching the team (renamed the Adirondack Frostbite) in Glens Falls, New York.

Death

On January 13, 2006, Potvin was found dead in his hotel room in Kalamazoo, Michigan, hours before the Frostbite were to play the Kalamazoo Wings. On February 10, Kalamazoo police announced that his death had been ruled a suicide. It was discovered that he had hanged himself with a belt from the shower rod in his hotel bathroom. He had a wife, son, and daughter.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1984–85	Elmira Sugar Kings	MWJHL		37	21	22	43	108		—	—	—	—	—
1985–86	Stratford Cullitons	MWJHL		39	22	43	65	180		—	—	—	—	—
1986–87	Bowling Green State University	CCHA		43	5	15	20	74		—	—	—	—	—
1987–88	Bowling Green State University	CCHA		45	15	21	36	80		—	—	—	—	—
1988–89	Bowling Green State University	CCHA		46	23	12	35	63		—	—	—	—	—
1989–90	Bowling Green State University	CCHA		40	19	17	36	72		—	—	—	—	—
1989–90	Adirondack Red Wings	AHL		5	2	1	3	9		4	0	1	1	23
1990–91	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		9	0	0	0	55		6	0	0	0	32
1990–91	Adirondack Red Wings	AHL		63	9	13	22	365		—	—	—	—	—
1991–92	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		5	1	0	1	52		1	0	0	0	0
1991–92	Adirondack Red Wings	AHL		51	13	16	29	314		19	5	4	9	57
1992–93	Adirondack Red Wings	AHL		37	8	12	20	109		—	—	—	—	—
1992–93	Los Angeles Kings	NHL		20	0	1	1	61		1	0	0	0	0
1993–94	Los Angeles Kings	NHL		3	0	0	0	26		—	—	—	—	—
1993–94	Hartford Whalers	NHL		51	2	3	5	246		—	—	—	—	—
1994–95	Boston Bruins	NHL		6	0	1	1	4		—	—	—	—	—
1994–95	Providence Bruins	AHL		21	4	14	18	84		12	2	4	6	25
1995–96	Boston Bruins	NHL		27	0	0	0	12		5	0	1	1	18
1995–96	Providence Bruins	AHL		48	9	9	18	118		—	—	—	—	—
1996–97	Portland Pirates	AHL		71	17	15	32	222		5	0	0	0	12
1997–98	Chicago Wolves	IHL		81	4	8	12	170		10	0	0	0	22
AHL totals				296	62	80	142	1221		40	7	9	16	117
NHL totals				121	3	5	8	456		40	13	9	22	13

External links

• Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or The Internet Hockey Database
• Marc Potvin at Find a Grave