Patrick Lalime facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Patrick Lalime
Lalime with the Buffalo Sabres in 2010
Born	(1974-07-07) July 7, 1974 (age 51) Saint-Bonaventure, Quebec, Canada
Height	6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Weight	189 lb (86 kg; 13 st 7 lb)
Position	Goaltender
Caught	Left
Played for	Pittsburgh Penguins Ottawa Senators St. Louis Blues Chicago Blackhawks Buffalo Sabres
NHL Draft	156th overall, 1993 Pittsburgh Penguins
Playing career	1994–2011

Patrick Lalime (born July 7, 1974) is a Canadian ice hockey commentator and former professional ice hockey player. He played as a Goaltender for twelve seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL). He played for teams like the Pittsburgh Penguins, Ottawa Senators, St. Louis Blues, Chicago Blackhawks, and Buffalo Sabres. After retiring from playing in 2011, Lalime became a TV commentator, first for the Ottawa Senators and then for the Montreal Canadiens and the NHL.

Patrick Lalime's Early Hockey Career

As a young player, Patrick Lalime played in the 1988 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. He was part of the Drummondville Voltigeurs minor ice hockey team.

Playing Junior Hockey

Lalime played his junior hockey with the Shawinigan Cataractes in the QMJHL. In the 1992–93 season, Lalime had a record of 10 wins, 24 losses, and 4 ties. His GAA was 4.67, and his save percentage was .863. The team did not make the playoffs that year.

In the 1993 NHL Entry Draft, the Pittsburgh Penguins chose Lalime. He was picked in the sixth round, as the 156th player overall. He returned to the Cataractes for the 1993–94 season. He finished with a 22–20–2 record and a 4.22 GAA. In the playoffs, he struggled with a 1–3 record.

Starting in Professional Leagues

In the 1994–95 season, Lalime joined the Hampton Roads Admirals in the ECHL. He had a strong start with a 15–7–3 record. His GAA was 3.35, and his save percentage was .898. In January 1995, Lalime signed a contract with the Penguins. They sent him to the Cleveland Lumberjacks in the IHL. He found it tougher there, with a 7–10–4 record.

For the 1995–96 season, Lalime stayed with the Lumberjacks. He helped the team reach the playoffs. He had a 20–12–7 record in 41 games. His GAA was 3.86, and his save percentage was .893. The Penguins called him up twice in December 1995. He was a backup goalie for nine games but did not play. He also backed up the Penguins in four playoff games.

Patrick Lalime's NHL Career

First Steps and Big Success

Lalime started the 1996–97 season with the Cleveland Lumberjacks. The Penguins called him up in November. Lalime made his NHL debut on November 16 against the New York Rangers. He replaced another goalie during the game.

His next game was on December 6. Lalime came in when the Penguins were losing. He made 16 saves, and the team came back to win 5–3. This was his first NHL victory. The very next night, he started against the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. He made 30 saves in a 5–3 win.

Lalime then set an NHL record. He had the longest unbeaten streak to start a career. He went 16 games without a loss, with 14 wins and 2 ties. His first loss came on January 23 against the Colorado Avalanche. During this amazing streak, Lalime got his first shutout. A shutout means the goalie stops every shot and doesn't let the other team score. This happened in a 4–0 win over the San Jose Sharks on December 13. He also made 49 saves in a game against the Calgary Flames.

After the streak, Lalime's play cooled down a bit. He finished the season with a 21–12–2 record. His GAA was 2.94, and his save percentage was .913. He was named to the NHL's All-Rookie Team.

Moving to Other Teams

In 1997–98, Lalime and the Penguins could not agree on a contract. He spent the season with the Grand Rapids Griffins in the IHL. He played 31 games, with a 10–10–9 record. His GAA was 2.61, and his save percentage was .918. In March 1998, the Penguins traded his rights to the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.

In 1998–99, Lalime did not make the Mighty Ducks team. He was sent to the Kansas City Blades in the IHL. He had an excellent season there. He set team records with a 39–20–4 record. He led the league in wins and saves. He was named IHL Goaltender of the Month for March. He also earned a first-team all-star selection.

Time with the Ottawa Senators

The Mighty Ducks traded Lalime to the Ottawa Senators on June 18, 1999. He started the 1999–2000 season as a Senator. He shared playing time with Ron Tugnutt. Lalime began his Senators career with a 3–0 shutout win. This was against the Philadelphia Flyers on October 2. He had a solid season with a 19–14–3 record. His GAA was 2.33, and his save percentage was .905. The Senators traded Tugnutt in March. Lalime then became the backup to Tom Barrasso.

The Senators made Lalime their main starting goalie for the 2000–01 season. He had a great year with a 36–19–5 record. His GAA was 2.35, and his save percentage was .914. He helped the Senators win the Northeast Division. He was named NHL Player of the Week twice. In the playoffs, the Senators played the Toronto Maple Leafs. Lalime played well, but the Senators lost in four games.

In the 2001–02 season, Lalime had a 27–24–8 record. He had a 2.48 GAA and .903 save percentage. He was second in the league with seven shutouts. He also set a team record with a shutout streak of 149 minutes and 41 seconds. In the playoffs, the Senators played the Philadelphia Flyers. Lalime was amazing, letting in only two goals. Ottawa beat the Flyers in five games. His GAA for that series was an incredible 0.40.

In the second round, the Senators faced the Maple Leafs again. Lalime got his fourth playoff shutout in game one. This tied an NHL playoff record. However, the Maple Leafs came back and won the series in seven games. Lalime finished the 2002 playoffs with a 7–5 record and a 1.39 GAA.

The 2002–03 was a fantastic year for the Senators. They won the Presidents' Trophy for having the best regular season record. Lalime led the way with a 39–20–7 record. His GAA was 2.16, and his save percentage was .911. He was second in the NHL in wins and shutouts (8). He played in his first All-Star game in February. He also broke his own shutout streak record with 184 minutes and 6 seconds.

In the playoffs, he helped the Senators beat the New York Islanders and then the Philadelphia Flyers. They then lost to the Stanley Cup champion New Jersey Devils in a very close seven-game series. Lalime had an 11–7 record and a 1.82 GAA during those playoffs.

In the 2003–04 season, Lalime finished with a 25–23–7 record. His GAA was 2.29, and his save percentage was .905. In the first round of the playoffs, the Senators played the Maple Leafs again. Lalime struggled in this series. In game seven, he let in two easy goals. He was pulled from the game after the first period. The Senators lost the game and the series. This was Lalime's last time playing for Ottawa.

After Ottawa: St. Louis, Chicago, and Buffalo

After the Senators got a new star goalie, they traded Lalime to the St. Louis Blues. This happened on June 27, 2004. Lalime was supposed to be the Blues' starting goalie. However, the lockout cancelled the entire 2004–05 season. So, Lalime did not play any hockey that year.

During the 2005–06 season, he got his first win with the Blues. This was on October 11 against the Chicago Blackhawks. He made 32 saves in a 4–1 victory. However, it was a tough season for Lalime. He finished with a 4–18–8 record. His GAA was 3.64, and his save percentage was .881. He also played part of the season in the AHL with the Peoria Rivermen. In April, Lalime tore a ligament in his knee. This ended his season.

On July 1, 2006, the Chicago Blackhawks signed Lalime. He was expected to be the backup goalie. He got injured just before training camp. In his first game as a Blackhawk on February 7, 2007, Lalime stopped 34 shots. He got a shutout against the Vancouver Canucks in a 3–0 win. He played 12 games that season. His play was good enough for the Blackhawks to sign him for another year.

On July 1, 2008, the Buffalo Sabres signed Lalime. He signed a two-year contract to be the backup to Ryan Miller. In his first season with the Sabres, Lalime had a 5-13-3 record. His goals against average was 3.10.

On July 20, 2011, Lalime retired from the NHL. He then became a TV analyst for the Ottawa Senators. He worked for the French-language network RDS. In 2014, he left RDS to become the main NHL analyst for TVA Sports.

Patrick Lalime's Hockey Records

• On May 2, 2002, Lalime became the fourteenth goalie in NHL history to get four shutouts in one postseason. This happened in a 5–0 victory over the Maple Leafs.
• He holds the Senators' record for most wins in a season (39 in 2002–03).
• He also holds the Senators' record for career playoff wins (21).
• He has the longest unbeaten streak to start an NHL career: 16 games (14 wins, 2 ties).

Awards and Recognition

• Nominated for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy (2008). This award is given to the player who best shows perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.

Patrick Lalime's Unique Goalie Masks

Patrick Lalime was well-known for his cool goalie masks. They often featured cartoon eyes. His first mask in Pittsburgh had a penguin with its eyes peeking through the ice.

When he played for the Ottawa Senators, Lalime's mask featured Warner Brothers cartoon character Marvin the Martian. Marvin's helmet looked a bit like the Senators' team logo, which was a fun connection. Even after a tough start in St. Louis, Lalime came back with a new mask that still had the Marvin the Martian theme.

This continued when he played for the Chicago Blackhawks. His Blackhawks helmet also featured Marvin, but this time Marvin wore an Indian headdress. In 2010, when Lalime joined the Buffalo Sabres, his mask showed Marvin with the horns of a buffalo. Each mask was a creative way to show off his team spirit!

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs