NHL STANLEY CUP FINALS: MIGHTY DUCKS v DEVILS

May 28, 2003

Patrick Roy

PATRICK ROY: I would like to thank the organization, as well as the hockey fans who have supported me and followed my career. I'm here today to officially announce that I have made my decision to retire as an active NHL player. I have had a blast. It's unbelievable. I have been so fortunate to have lived a dream and have fun for more than 18 years earning a living by playing a game I love. I should say how blessed I am. I'll remember the good days and cherish the great moments. I'm leaving with the feeling that I've done everything I could to be the best. My passion and respect for the game guided me over my career. I've played for two of the best organizations in all of professional sports, one that possessed a great history and another that has established a winning tradition in a very short time. In both cities I have, and still have, tremendous fans. I made the decision before the start of the 2002/2003 season that this season will be my last. I step aside with no regrets. To my wife, Michelle, and children, Jonathan, Frederick and Jenna, you've always been an inspiration to me during all those years.

PATRICK ROY: First of all, after the two years ago when I had that season, I thought it was probably my best season in my career, but I came to the camp and had in mind to retire that year. Because of the season, I decided to push it one more year. Obviously, this is what I decided, we'll go for one more and really push as far as I can. I'm sure at times some guys were not sure if I was going to do it or believed me. It was set in my mind, it was time for me to go.

PATRICK ROY: Yes, it's tough for me to realize everything and really see where I stand perfectly, but I have a good idea where I am, and to be honest with you, I'm extremely proud of my career, and I was looking at this day and thought the organization, again, did a great job. It was fun to see my wife and children as a part of it. They're a big part of it. It's nice to have them on that video as well. Like you said, it's fun.

PATRICK ROY: Not very much. It was basically -- I think when you play 18 years, you have to make sure 100 percent you're sure before you make that decision, and only the unexpected could do something with it, but I was ready.

PATRICK ROY: Nothing at all. We have in Colorado the best trainers in this league, and there they have been outstanding to me, and they really took care of me for any matters, and this year was probably the best year. You look over the last two years, I think I missed maybe five games. The injury was not even a factor in my decision.

PATRICK ROY: Well, I had one thing in mind when I started my career. It was, first of all, to survive. I joined Montreal and was hoping to do more in a couple years, and after that it was, to be honest with you, to be consistent throughout my career. This is something that I'm proud of.

PATRICK ROY: Oh, I'm going to miss a lot of things but I'm going to miss the teammates and I'm going to see a lot of guys when I retire, and they're going to join my team eventually, and I'm sure we're going to talk to each other. I have been very fortunate to play with so many great people, and even in Colorado, I have a lot of good friends here, and I'm sure I'm going it keep in touch with them after I'm done.

PATRICK ROY: You look around and it's amazing how French-Canadian goalies have done over the years. I appreciate that. Some others have done the exact same thing to me. Bouchard and Vachon have had a great influence on my position and the style I wanted to play. I'm sure Jean-Sebastien will probably do the exact same thing for some great young goalie coming up.

PATRICK ROY: I think it's always been important for me to play with consistency, like I mentioned, but also leave on my own terms. I think I've accomplished everything I wanted, and I think I've done basically what I thought I should. It was important to leave on my own terms.

PATRICK ROY: That's a good question. My plan right now is going back to Quebec, and Michelle and I have a lot of things going on over there. Certainly I'm going to remain in hockey. My passion is in this sport, and I'm going to have a junior team in Quebec and I'm going to go back to hockey with them, and I should have a really good time there.

PATRICK ROY: I don't know if I should tell this story, but the first time I met him was in a restaurant in Canada. I had a younger brother, Stephane, and at the time he was supposed to have a really good career, and everybody wanted him, and my dad had always been really close to our career, and he said to a lot of agents that if you want Stephane, you have to take Patrick, and Pierre surprisingly said, "Fine with me, I'll take both of them," and that was the first time that I met Pierre.

PATRICK ROY: Well, there is a lot of moments that describe my career, but every time you win a Stanley Cup, I think that's the ultimate goal, and it's very difficult for me to pinpoint one moment, but the fourth Stanley Cup has been my first game I have been involved in when I was a junior, and they called me up to play the third period against Winnipeg, the excitement I had when I went in. Like I said, a lot of moments.

PATRICK ROY: No, my decision was made. It didn't matter. I had people ask me, "Would you like to finish with a Stanley Cup?" Yes, I would, but I want to retire with my memories. That's really important. Everything that I have accomplished, this is what I want to bring with me when I'm leaving here.

PATRICK ROY: First of all, I was traded to an outstanding team. I remember getting on the plane on the way to Colorado, and Keane said, "Be yourself," and we were coming into a great organization, and also a very good hockey club, and it certainly helped to give a second wind to my career. It was a great challenge to us as a family as well. We have very young kids, and Jenna was only two at that moment, Fred, four, and Jonathan, six. Our English was not very good, and I think that's something we have no regrets about, to see them perfectly bilingual. It was a good challenge, and I have to be honest, it was probably the best thing that ever happened to us.

PATRICK ROY: I was playing outdoor hockey, and the goaltender got hurt that day, and I asked the coach, "Can I be the goalie?" He said, "You're too small, we're going to go with the bigger guy." The following year, maybe it's the best thing that happened to my career, maybe I would never have decided to play that position, my mom asked us if we wanted to play in the league in Quebec to my brother and myself the following year, and right away I said, "I want to be the goalie." She gave my name as a goaltender.

PIERRE LACROIX: As an organization, let's make one thing clear, you don't replace the caliber of player that Patrick Roy represents. Our intention is not to find another Patrick Roy, but give the chance to the young players playing in our organization for many years. David is one of them. We have young goalies. As an organization, to be consistent, like we always try to be now for nine years, it's not going to be no different if we're going to give these kids a chance to show them what they have and to be themselves and realize a challenge.

PIERRE LACROIX: It's not the most pleasant day I've had, but like Patrick said so beautifully, I'll remember the memories, the good ones.

PIERRE LACROIX: The week after the last game this year in the playoffs we spent a few days together and he told me about his decision, and my history with them dictated to me, "Why don't you take the rest of the month of May, Patrick, and think about it? You told me after signing your contract in 1993 it was your last contract, you were going to retire." He looked at me and said, "This time is it." I said "Think about it." That was our way to show Patrick our interest in making sure he was making the right decision and hoping it was the right decision, and he did the rest of his reflection over the last few weeks, and we sat down again yesterday, and it was clear like crystal. On one hand I was sad as the general manager. On the other hand, I was pretty proud of him.

PATRICK ROY: It's a great honor. I think every year I came to camp and never took anything for granted, be well prepared for the season to start. I didn't expect that, and I wasn't prepared for that question, to be honest with you, but I put a lot of pride in what I've done, and I think I really appreciate what the Avalanche have done under me.

PATRICK ROY: Well, I think I want to be remembered as a player that played with great passion, a player that year after year was very demanding on himself and wanted to perform at a high level every year.

PATRICK ROY: Well, I'll go into the Hall of Fame as Patrick. That would have been a tough decision to decide between the two. I played for two great franchise, and, as I mentioned in my speech, one with a great tradition, and one with a great tradition, too, as well with the Avalanche. Both teams have been a fun ride, and they both will have a big place in my heart.

PATRICK ROY: Mine is very different from him. He came to Colorado to win a Stanley Cup. Fortunately for him, it happened. I think he understood it was time to go. In my case, I mean, obviously, every player would love to finish their career with a Stanley Cup. I have a lot of good memories. I'm going to leave with them.

PATRICK ROY: I don't know if I helped to change the position, but from what I heard from other young goalies, I have to believe that I did. I think every player has to adjust, and the game has improved tremendously over the years, especially since I started. You can watch games from the middle of the '80s and tell the game has changed. I think so. If I never would have adjust, I don't think I would have had the career I had.

PATRICK ROY: I feel extremely good about my decision. I have no regrets. I think, like I mentioned, I really believe that I accomplished what I want to, and I'm leaving the game on my terms, I feel good about that.

PATRICK ROY: I always felt comfortable with my ability. I have a lot of respect for the players.

PATRICK ROY: Never know what the opportunity could be for you, but as of right now, I'm -- like I mentioned, we're going back to Quebec, and I'm going to be involved with my junior team. My wife has a spa in Quebec, and if you want to come over, you might as well come. I feel good about everything, and you never know what the future could be in front of you. That's for sure.

PATRICK ROY: Not at all. I went to the Olympics in Nagano. I had a good time there. It was perfect. I had my chance, and at the time, I thought I had other things to do, and I still have no regrets at all.

PATRICK ROY: We talked with the guy a lot, and after I mentioned my decision, I think the guys have a big respect for me, and I think they all understood where I was and really respected my decision and my choice.

PATRICK ROY: Not at all. I feel really good about my decision, to be honest with you. I spoke with Bob before we arrived, and I said I don't know how I'm going to feel when I'm going to be there. Right now, I feel great. To be honest with you, I feel like I'm ready for another challenge, and I'm excited about it too, and I really feel that I emptied the tank, and I'm ready to move on.

PATRICK ROY: No, I came back because I thought I had a lot to offer. I'm very passionate and I came back to another great season. I also wanted to see how far I could go; if I could have an even better one. I love challenge, but like I said, now it's time to take care of my wife and my boys and my daughter and have a blast off ice, and I think we put ourself in that position.

PATRICK ROY: It was probably the toughest moment at the time, but we played back-to-back games and I was a bit tired. To be honest with you, I was more emotional in the morning. That morning when I got up I had tears in my eyes thinking that was the last game. I really felt good about everything, and I was like everyone, I was really disappointed that we didn't beat the Wild. I'm sure the team will come back next year and battle even harder and have a good year.

PATRICK ROY: I think it's great. I think the game is at its best. There is a lot of talent in this league, and what I would do, that's a tough question. I'm not in the position to make a lot of change, but hockey is the best game there is, and it's heading in the right direction to me.