André Racicot
André Racicot | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 9, 1969 Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec, Canada |
| Occupation | Ice hockey goaltender |
| Years active | 1989–2004 |
| Known for | Backup goaltender for Montreal Canadiens, 1993 Stanley Cup winner |
André Racicot, Jr., born on June 9, 1969, is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender, primarily recognized for his time with the Montreal Canadiens, where he served as backup to Patrick Roy and secured the 1993 Stanley Cup.
Career
Racicot entered the National Hockey League (NHL) in 1989 after being selected 83rd overall by Montreal, following an impressive junior tenure with the Granby Bisons in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Due to the presence of established goaltenders Patrick Roy and Brian Hayward on Montreal's roster, Racicot spent the majority of his rookie year playing for the Sherbrooke Canadiens farm team, appearing just once in the NHL during December 1989.
During the 1990–91 season, after Hayward was traded, Racicot divided his time between the Fredericton Canadiens and Montreal as he vied for the backup goaltender position. The subsequent season saw limited NHL action for him because of veteran Roland Melanson joining the team, which confined Racicot mostly to minor league play and resulted in no victories across nine NHL games.
The 1992–93 campaign represented Racicot's most significant NHL involvement; he participated in 26 games and recorded 17 wins while Montreal progressed through and ultimately won the 1993 Stanley Cup Finals. His playoff participation was minimal, totaling only 18 minutes due to Roy’s commanding presence.
In the 1993–94 season, competition intensified from goaltenders Ron Tugnutt and Les Kuntar, leading to a downturn in Racicot’s performance and culminating in his release at the conclusion of that season.
After leaving the NHL, Racicot competed for several years across leagues such as the AHL, IHL, and East Coast Hockey League, including a period in Russia with HC Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk during the 1999–2000 season. He then returned to North America where he played five additional seasons at minor professional levels before retiring in 2004.
Nickname
Early in his tenure with Montreal, Racicot acquired the nickname "Red Light." The source of this moniker is debated; some attribute it to journalist Red Fisher following a challenging debut, while others credit former coach and commentator Don Cherry.
Regular season and playoffs
... [Statistics continue with similar compression for brevity] ...| Regular season | Playoffs | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | W | L | T | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% | GP | W | L | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% | ||
| 1986–87 | Longueuil Chevaliers | QMJHL | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 19 | 180 | 0 | 6.33 | .824 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1987–88 | Victoriaville Tigres | QMJHL | 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 489 | 28 | 0 | 3.44 | .898 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1987–88 | Hull Olympiques | QMJHL | 14 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 667 | 43 | 0 | 3.87 | .883 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1987–88 | Granby Bisons | QMJHL | 8 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 391 | 34 | 0 | 5.22 | .871 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 298 | 23 | 0 | 4.63 | .887 | ||
| AHL totals | 110 | 59 | 38 | 8 | 6358 | 316 | 3 | 2.98 | .903 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 227 | 18 | 0 | 4.76 | — | ||||
| NHL totals | 68 | 26 | 23 | 8 | 3357 | 196 | 2 | 3.50 | .880 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 31 | 4 | 0 | 7.74 | .833 | ||||
| IHL totals | 39 | 14 | 16 | 3 | 2071 | 129 | 2 | 3.74 | .880 | 13 | 6 | 5 | 674 | 34 | 1 | 3.03 | --- | ||||
External links
- 1969 births
- Living people
- Albany River Rats players
- Canadian ice hockey players active in Russia
- Canadian ice hockey goaltenders
- Granby Bisons players
- HC Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk players
- Ice hockey athletes from Rouyn-Noranda
- Kansas City Blades players
- Longueuil Chevaliers players
- Montreal Canadiens draft selections
- Montreal Canadiens players
- Phoenix Roadrunners (IHL) players
- Stanley Cup winners
- 20th-century Canadian athletes