Dave Poulin
Encyclopedia
David James Poulin is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey
centre
who played 13 seasons in the National Hockey League
(NHL) with the Philadelphia Flyers
, Boston Bruins
and Washington Capitals
.
at the University of Notre Dame
. He played with the Fighting Irish from 1978–1982 and he was named to the Second All-Star Team in 1982. His small size got him overlooked in the NHL Entry Draft
so instead he went to Sweden
to play for Rögle BK
. Poulin's head coach was Ted Sator
and Sator also happened to be a scout for the Philadelphia Flyers
in the National Hockey League
. Sator was impressed with Poulin's abilities and called for him to be put on board the Flyers' roster. In 1982-83
, he began his NHL debut and played in two games scoring two points. Next season
, Poulin was put on a line with superstar Brian Propp
and Tim Kerr
. The line became a dangerous offensive line in the NHL and he went on to set a record for most points by a Flyers rookie with 76 points. Poulin qiuckly established himself as a strong leader and a player that could play at both ends of the ice. This earned him the team's captaincy in 1983-84
replacing Hall of Famer Bobby Clarke
. He continued to be a strong presence offensively and defensively during his six year stay in Philadelphia. Poulin led the team all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals
where they lost to the Edmonton Oilers
in seven games in 1986-87
. He was awarded the Frank J. Selke Trophy
in 1986-87
and was named to the 1986 and 1988 NHL All-Star Games. Poulin also played at the Rendez-vous '87
event where he had a goal and an assist.
By 1989-90
, Poulin's play was quickly deteriorating and he was traded to the Boston Bruins
for Ken Linseman
. In his first season with the Bruins, Poulin and the Bruins made it all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals against the Edmonton Oilers. Poulin could not beat the Oilers again and the Bruins lost in six games. He stayed with the team for three more years which saw him win the King Clancy Memorial Trophy
in 1992-93
. He left the team as a free agent in 1992-93 and signed on with the Washington Capitals
. Poulin lasted another season and a half before retiring.
. In 2004, Poulin was inducted into the Flyers Hall of Fame. On July 23, 2009, Toronto Maple Leafs
GM Brian Burke introduced Poulin as the club's new Vice-President of Hockey Operations.
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
centre
Centre (ice hockey)
The centre in ice hockey is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play is the middle of the ice, away from the side boards. Centres have more flexibility in their positioning and are expected to cover more ice surface than any other player...
who played 13 seasons in the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
(NHL) with the Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
, Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
and Washington Capitals
Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Since their founding in 1974, "The Caps" have won one conference championship to reach the 1998 Stanley Cup...
.
Playing career
Poulin began his hockey career with the Notre Dame Fighting IrishNotre Dame Fighting Irish men's ice hockey
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish men's ice hockey team is the college ice hockey team at the University of Notre Dame. The team competes in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association at the NCAA Division I level.- History :...
at the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
. He played with the Fighting Irish from 1978–1982 and he was named to the Second All-Star Team in 1982. His small size got him overlooked in the NHL Entry Draft
NHL Entry Draft
The NHL Entry Draft is an annual meeting in which every franchise of the National Hockey League systematically select the rights to available amateur ice hockey players who meet draft eligibility requirements...
so instead he went to Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
to play for Rögle BK
Rögle BK
Rögle Bandyklubb is a Swedish professional ice hockey club. They currently play in HockeyAllsvenskan, the second highest league in Sweden. The team has previously played four seasons in Elitserien between 1992–93 and 1995–96 and between 2008–09 and 2009–10....
. Poulin's head coach was Ted Sator
Ted Sator
Ted Sator is an American professional ice hockey coach.-Playing career:Ted Sator played for parts of two seasons for Bowling Green State University. During the 1971–72 campaign for the NCAA team Sator played 27 games, where he tallied 5 goals and assisted on 6 others...
and Sator also happened to be a scout for the Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
in the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
. Sator was impressed with Poulin's abilities and called for him to be put on board the Flyers' roster. In 1982-83
1982-83 NHL season
-NHL awards:-All-Star teams:Source: NHL.-Scoring leaders:Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = PointsSource: NHL.-Leading goaltenders:...
, he began his NHL debut and played in two games scoring two points. Next season
1983-84 NHL season
The 1983–84 NHL season was the 67th season of the National Hockey League. The Edmonton Oilers de-throned the four-time defending Stanley Cup champion New York Islanders four games to one in the Cup finals.-League business:...
, Poulin was put on a line with superstar Brian Propp
Brian Propp
Brian Phillip Propp is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey left winger who played 15 seasons in the NHL from 1979 until 1994...
and Tim Kerr
Tim Kerr
Timothy E. Kerr is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey right winger who played 13 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Philadelphia Flyers, New York Rangers and Hartford Whalers.-Playing career:...
. The line became a dangerous offensive line in the NHL and he went on to set a record for most points by a Flyers rookie with 76 points. Poulin qiuckly established himself as a strong leader and a player that could play at both ends of the ice. This earned him the team's captaincy in 1983-84
1983-84 NHL season
The 1983–84 NHL season was the 67th season of the National Hockey League. The Edmonton Oilers de-throned the four-time defending Stanley Cup champion New York Islanders four games to one in the Cup finals.-League business:...
replacing Hall of Famer Bobby Clarke
Bobby Clarke
Robert Earle Clarke, OC , better known as Bobby Clarke or, in later life, Bob Clarke, is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played his entire National Hockey League career with the Philadelphia Flyers and is currently an executive with the team...
. He continued to be a strong presence offensively and defensively during his six year stay in Philadelphia. Poulin led the team all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals
Stanley Cup Finals
The Stanley Cup Finals is the championship series to determine the winner of the Stanley Cup, emblematic of the professional club championship of ice hockey. Although the Cup itself has existed since 1893, an annual championship series between professional teams was not established until 1913...
where they lost to the Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
in seven games in 1986-87
1987 Stanley Cup Finals
The 1987 Stanley Cup Final was played between the Edmonton Oilers and the Philadelphia Flyers. The Oilers would win the series 4–3, for their third Stanley Cup victory.-Paths to the Final:...
. He was awarded the Frank J. Selke Trophy
Frank J. Selke Trophy
The Frank J. Selke Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League forward who demonstrates the most skill in the defensive component of the game. The winner is selected by a poll of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association following the regular season. It has been awarded 33 times to...
in 1986-87
1986-87 NHL season
-NHL awards:-All-Star teams:Source: NHL-Scoring Leaders:Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points, PIM = Penalties in minutes, PPG = Powerplay Goals, SHG = Shorthanded Goals, GWG = Game Winning Goals-Leading goaltenders:...
and was named to the 1986 and 1988 NHL All-Star Games. Poulin also played at the Rendez-vous '87
Rendez-vous '87
Rendez-vous '87 was an international ice hockey series of games between the Soviet national ice hockey team and a team of All-Stars from the National Hockey League, held in Quebec City. It replaced the NHL's All-Star festivities for the 1986–87 NHL season...
event where he had a goal and an assist.
By 1989-90
1989-90 NHL season
-NHL awards:-All-Star teams:-Scoring Leaders:Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points, PIM = Penalties in minutes, PPG = Powerplay Goals, SHG = Shorthanded Goals, GWG = Game Winning Goals-Leading goaltenders:...
, Poulin's play was quickly deteriorating and he was traded to the Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
for Ken Linseman
Ken Linseman
Kenneth "The Rat" Linseman is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played 15 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Philadelphia Flyers, Edmonton Oilers, Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs...
. In his first season with the Bruins, Poulin and the Bruins made it all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals against the Edmonton Oilers. Poulin could not beat the Oilers again and the Bruins lost in six games. He stayed with the team for three more years which saw him win the King Clancy Memorial Trophy
King Clancy Memorial Trophy
The King Clancy Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and who has made a significant humanitarian contribution to his community. Since the award was established in 1988, no player has won it more than...
in 1992-93
1992-93 NHL season
-Montreal vs. Los Angeles:Montreal wins best-of-seven series 4–1. Patrick Roy wins Conn Smythe Trophy-NHL Awards:-All-Star teams:-Scoring leaders:-Leading goaltenders:-Complete list of neutral-site games:The Hartford-St...
. He left the team as a free agent in 1992-93 and signed on with the Washington Capitals
Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Since their founding in 1974, "The Caps" have won one conference championship to reach the 1998 Stanley Cup...
. Poulin lasted another season and a half before retiring.
Post-playing career
Poulin spent 10 years as head hockey coach at his alma mater, the University of Notre DameUniversity of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
. In 2004, Poulin was inducted into the Flyers Hall of Fame. On July 23, 2009, Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
GM Brian Burke introduced Poulin as the club's new Vice-President of Hockey Operations.
Awards and achievements
- Selected to the CCHACentral Collegiate Hockey AssociationThe Central Collegiate Hockey Association is a NCAA Men's Division I Ice Hockey college athletic conference that operates mostly in Michigan and Ohio, although it also has members in Alaska and Indiana. It participates in the NCAA's Division I as a hockey-only conference. It holds its championship...
Second All-Star Team in 1982. - Played in 1986, 1988 NHL All-Star Games.
- Frank J. Selke TrophyFrank J. Selke TrophyThe Frank J. Selke Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League forward who demonstrates the most skill in the defensive component of the game. The winner is selected by a poll of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association following the regular season. It has been awarded 33 times to...
winner in 19871986-87 NHL season-NHL awards:-All-Star teams:Source: NHL-Scoring Leaders:Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points, PIM = Penalties in minutes, PPG = Powerplay Goals, SHG = Shorthanded Goals, GWG = Game Winning Goals-Leading goaltenders:...
. - King Clancy Memorial TrophyKing Clancy Memorial TrophyThe King Clancy Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and who has made a significant humanitarian contribution to his community. Since the award was established in 1988, no player has won it more than...
winner in 19931992-93 NHL season-Montreal vs. Los Angeles:Montreal wins best-of-seven series 4–1. Patrick Roy wins Conn Smythe Trophy-NHL Awards:-All-Star teams:-Scoring leaders:-Leading goaltenders:-Complete list of neutral-site games:The Hartford-St...
. - Inducted into the Flyers Hall of FamePhiladelphia Flyers award winnersThe Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the National Hockey League's Eastern Conference...
on February 23, 2004. - Holds Philadelphia FlyersPhiladelphia FlyersThe Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
record for most points in a season by a rookie (76).
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season Season (sports) In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an... |
Team | League | GP | G Goal (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to... |
A Assist (ice hockey) In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal... |
Pts Point (ice hockey) Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one... |
PIM Penalty (ice hockey) A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,... |
GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1977–78 | Dixie Beehives Dixie Beehives ----Dixie Beehives are a pair of defunct junior ice hockey teams from Weston, Ontario, which is now part of Toronto, Ontario. They played in the Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League and the Central Junior B Hockey League.-Jr. A Beehives:... |
OHA-B | 34 | 28 | 31 | 59 | 59 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1978–79 | Notre Dame Fighting Irish Notre Dame Fighting Irish men's ice hockey The Notre Dame Fighting Irish men's ice hockey team is the college ice hockey team at the University of Notre Dame. The team competes in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association at the NCAA Division I level.- History :... |
WCHA Western Collegiate Hockey Association The Western Collegiate Hockey Association is a college athletic conference which operates over a wide area of the Midwestern and Western United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I as an ice hockey-only conference.... |
37 | 28 | 31 | 59 | 32 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1979–80 | Notre Dame Fighting Irish | WCHA | 24 | 19 | 24 | 43 | 46 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1980–81 | Notre Dame Fighting Irish | WCHA | 35 | 13 | 22 | 35 | 53 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1981–82 | Notre Dame Fighting Irish | CCHA Central Collegiate Hockey Association The Central Collegiate Hockey Association is a NCAA Men's Division I Ice Hockey college athletic conference that operates mostly in Michigan and Ohio, although it also has members in Alaska and Indiana. It participates in the NCAA's Division I as a hockey-only conference. It holds its championship... |
39 | 29 | 30 | 59 | 44 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1982–83 | Rögle BK Rögle BK Rögle Bandyklubb is a Swedish professional ice hockey club. They currently play in HockeyAllsvenskan, the second highest league in Sweden. The team has previously played four seasons in Elitserien between 1992–93 and 1995–96 and between 2008–09 and 2009–10.... |
Swe-2 | 32 | 35 | 27 | 62 | 64 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1982–83 1982–83 AHL season The 1982–83 AHL season was the 47th season of the American Hockey League. Thirteen teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Rochester Americans finished first overall in the regular season, and won their fourth Calder Cup championship.-Team changes:... |
Maine Mariners Maine Mariners The Maine Mariners were an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Portland, Maine, USA at the Cumberland County Civic Center.-History:... |
AHL American Hockey League The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League... |
16 | 7 | 9 | 16 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1982–83 | Philadelphia Flyers Philadelphia Flyers The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... |
NHL National Hockey League The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States... |
2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 9 | ||
| 1983–84 | Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 73 | 31 | 45 | 76 | 47 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 1984–85 | Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 73 | 30 | 44 | 74 | 59 | 11 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 6 | ||
| 1985–86 | Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 79 | 27 | 42 | 69 | 49 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | ||
| 1986–87 | Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 75 | 25 | 45 | 70 | 53 | 15 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 14 | ||
| 1987–88 | Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 68 | 19 | 32 | 51 | 32 | 7 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 4 | ||
| 1988–89 | Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 69 | 18 | 17 | 35 | 49 | 19 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 16 | ||
| 1989–90 | Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 28 | 9 | 8 | 17 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1989–90 | Boston Bruins Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the... |
NHL | 32 | 6 | 19 | 25 | 12 | 18 | 8 | 5 | 13 | 8 | ||
| 1990–91 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 31 | 8 | 12 | 20 | 25 | 16 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 20 | ||
| 1991–92 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 18 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 18 | 15 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 22 | ||
| 1992–93 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 84 | 16 | 33 | 49 | 62 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 10 | ||
| 1993–94 | Washington Capitals Washington Capitals The Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Since their founding in 1974, "The Caps" have won one conference championship to reach the 1998 Stanley Cup... |
NHL | 63 | 6 | 19 | 25 | 52 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 19 | ||
| 1994–95 | Washington Capitals | NHL | 29 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| NHL totals | 724 | 205 | 325 | 530 | 482 | 129 | 31 | 42 | 73 | 132 | ||||
International
| Year | Team | Event | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 Rendez-vous '87 Rendez-vous '87 was an international ice hockey series of games between the Soviet national ice hockey team and a team of All-Stars from the National Hockey League, held in Quebec City. It replaced the NHL's All-Star festivities for the 1986–87 NHL season... |
NHL All-Stars | RV-87 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | |
| Senior int'l totals | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | |||
All-Star Games
| Year | Location | G | A | P | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 38th National Hockey League All-Star Game The 38th National Hockey League All-Star Game was held in the Hartford Civic Center in Hartford, Connecticut, home to the Hartford Whalers, on February 4, 1986.-Game summary:*Referee: Ron Wicks*Linesmen: Gord Broseker, John D'Amico... |
Hartford Hartford Whalers The Hartford Whalers were a professional ice hockey team based for most of its existence in Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.A.. The club played in the World Hockey Association from 1972–79 and in the National Hockey League from 1979–97... |
0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1988 39th National Hockey League All-Star Game The 39th National Hockey League All-Star Game was held in the St. Louis Arena in St. Louis, Missouri, home to the St. Louis Blues, on February 9, 1988.-Lemieux makes his mark:... |
St. Louis | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| All-Star totals | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||