The Resume

(October 29, 1953- )
Played 15 seasons in NHL as Defenseman for New York Islanders (1973-88)
Calder Trophy winner (1974)
Three-time Norris Trophy winner (1976, 1978-79)
Won four straight Stanley Cups (1980-83)
Member of Hockey Hall of Fame (1991)
Ranked 19th on Hockey News list of 50 best players of all time

Why he might be annoying:

He hated practice.
He didn't like being compared to Bobby Orr.
N.Y Ranger fans chant 'Potvin Sucks' more than 25 years after he retired.
During Canada Cup '76, he complained Bobby Orr got more media attention than he did.
He was outspoken off the ice and this angered fellow NHL players.
He checked Ulf Nilsson so hard Nilsson suffered a broken ankle and wasn't the same player when he returned, hence the chant.
He was accused of beating his wife. N.Y Ranger fans would chant 'Beat Your Wife, Potvin' every time he took the ice at Madison Square Garden.

Why he might not be annoying:

When he broke into the league, he was billed as 'The Next Bobby Orr,' and lived up to the reputation.
He was a defensive stalwart who delivered bone-crushing checks.
He was a clean player; but could be really mean when he wanted to be.
After Orr, he was the second defenseman in NHL history to score 30 goals and 100 points in a season.
He was the first defenseman to reach the 1000-point plateau.
He was a great defensive player, who rarely got caught out of position.

Credit: Sockboy

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

• Calder Trophy Winner (Ranked: 1974)
• Hockey Hall of Famers (Ranked: 1991)
• Hockey News 100 Greatest Hockey Players (Ranked: 20)
• Hockey News Top 100 Defensemen (Ranked: 6)
• I am a French Canadian
• I Come from Canada
• I Don't Like to Rehearse
• I Don't Pull Punches
• Ice Hockey Players
• Look at Me, I'm a Helmet Head
• Look at Me, I'm Cold
• New York Islanders
• NHL Defensemen
• NHL Families (Ranked: 52)
• NHL First All-Star Team - Defensemen (Ranked: 1975)
• NHL First All-Star Team - Defensemen (Ranked: 1976)
• NHL First All-Star Team - Defensemen (Ranked: 1978)
• NHL First All-Star Team - Defensemen (Ranked: 1979)
• NHL First All-Star Team - Defensemen (Ranked: 1981)
• NHL First Overall Draft Picks (Ranked: 1973)
• NHL Retired Numbers (Ranked: 5)
• NHL’s 100 Greatest Players Of All-Time
• Norris Trophy Winners (Ranked: 1976)
• Norris Trophy Winners (Ranked: 1978)
• Norris Trophy Winners (Ranked: 1979)
• Profiles 19251-19500 (Ranked: 19315)
• Quebec Major Junior Hockey League Alumni
• Sports Illustrated's Greatest NHL Players By Jersey Number (Ranked: 5)
• Stanley Cup Finals Losing Captains (Ranked: 1984)
• Stanley Cup Winning Captains (Ranked: 1980)
• Stanley Cup Winning Captains (Ranked: 1981)
• Stanley Cup Winning Captains (Ranked: 1982)
• Stanley Cup Winning Captains (Ranked: 1983)
• Supersized Egos
• Wife Beaters and Alleged Domestic Abusers

Year In Review:

In 2023, Out of 5 Votes: 40.0% Annoying
In 2022, Out of 50 Votes: 26.00% Annoying
In 2021, Out of 11 Votes: 63.64% Annoying
In 2020, Out of 4 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2019, Out of 2 Votes: 100% Annoying
In 2018, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2017, Out of 19 Votes: 42.11% Annoying
In 2016, Out of 4 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2015, Out of 8 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2014, Out of 29 Votes: 41.38% Annoying
In 2013, Out of 19 Votes: 68.42% Annoying
In 2012, Out of 19 Votes: 63.16% Annoying
In 2011, Out of 19 Votes: 47.37% Annoying
In 2010, Out of 27 Votes: 62.96% Annoying
In 2009, Out of 90 Votes: 74.44% Annoying
In 2008, Out of 32 Votes: 59.38% Annoying
In 2007, Out of 79 Votes: 65.82% Annoying
In 2006, Out of 115 Votes: 50.43% Annoying