Patrick Roy was drafted 51st overall in the 1984 Entry Draft by the Montréal Canadiens. He made his NHL debut that season on February 23 with a 6-4 win over the Jets. In 1985-86, Patrick posted a 23-18-3 mark and was named an All-Rookie Team goaltender. In the playoffs, Patrick turned on the magic and led the Canadiens to a Stanley Cup championship. Patrick went 15-5 and posted a 1.92 goals-against average en route to the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.
Patrick then followed up with a 22-16-6 effort in his sophomore season in 1986-87. The Canadiens finished second in their division during the regular season and advanced to the Wales Conference finals in the playoffs. In 1987-88, Patrick co-won the Jennings Trophy with goaltending partner Bryan Hayward. Patrick won 23 games himself and the team won 103 points to capture the Adams Division season title. That year, he participated in his first mid-season All-Star Game; at year's end, he was named a Second Team All-Star. In 1988-89, Patrick again co-won the Jennings Trophy with Hayward and this time led the league with his own 2.47 GAA. Patrick was a First Team All-Star and posted an amazing 33-5-6 mark with four shutouts. He won the Vézina Trophy, the Trico Goaltending Award (save percentage) and Canadiens' Molson Cup for three-star selections. The Canadiens won 53 games and 115 points that year and won a second-straight Adams Division season title. In the playoffs, Patrick went 13-6 as the team won the Prince of Wales Trophy before losing to the Flames in the Stanley Cup finals. Patrick paced the league with a 2.09 GAA.
In 1989-90, Patrick won his second Vézina Trophy, his second First Team All-Star honour, his second Trico Goaltending Award and his third Jennings Trophy (again with Hayward). He played in his second All-Star Game, recorded a 2.53 GAA with three shutouts and paced the league with 31 wins. In the playoffs, he took the Canadiens to the second round. In 1990-91, Patrick was a Second Team All-Star and runner-up to the Vézina Trophy, the Trico Goaltending Award and the Jennings Trophy. He also played in his third All-Star Game. In the playoffs, he again took his team to the second round. In 1991-92, Patrick had another stellar year as he went 36-22-8 with a league-best 2.36 GAA and five shutouts. During the season, he won NHL Player of the Week honours on December 23 and played in the mid-season All-Star Game in January. He was a First Team All-Star and winner of the Vézina Trophy, the Jennings Trophy (this time by himself) and the Canadiens' Molson Cup. He was also the first runner-up to the Hart Trophy and led his team to an Adams Division season title. In the playoffs, Patrick had a 2.62 GAA as the Canadiens advanced to the second round for the third-straight year.
In 1992-93, Patrick went 31-25-5 with a 3.20 GAA. In January, he played in the mid-season All-Star Game at the Montréal Forum. While the Canadiens slipped to third in the Adams Division, they posted 100-plus points (102) in the standings for the first time in five years. In the playoffs, Patrick was superb as he paced the league with 16 wins and a 2.13 GAA en route to a Stanley Cup championship. He led the Canadiens to a league-record ten-straight overtime victories and captured his second Conn Smythe Trophy. At year's end, he ranked seventh on The Hockey News' Top-25 NHL Players list.
In 1993-94, Patrick won Player of the Week honours on November 1, was a mid-season All-Star in January and won Player of the Month honours in February. He went 35-17-11 and paced the league with seven shutouts. He finished third in voting for the Vézina Trophy and won his third Canadiens' Molson Cup for three-star selections. In the playoffs, he went 3-3 with a 2.56 GAA. At year's end, Patrick ranked fourth on The Hockey News' Top-40 Player list. In the shortened 1994-95 season, Patrick went 17-20-6 as the team missed the playoffs for the first time in 25 years. That year, Patrick won his fourth Canadiens' Molson Cup.
In 1995-96, Patrick was 12-9-1 when he was traded on December 6 with Mike Keane to the Colorado Avalanche for Andrei Kovalenko, Martin Rucinský and Jocelyn Thibault. With the Avalanche, Patrick went 22-15-1 to finish with 30-plus wins for the sixth time in his career. In the playoffs, Patrick led the Avalanche to a Clarence Campbell Bowl victory in the Western Conference finals and then a Stanley Cup championship over the Panthers. Patrick paced the league with 22 games by a goaltender, 16 wins, 1,454 minutes and three shutouts. He also posted a 1-0 triple-overtime shutout in the final game of the playoffs. At year's end, Patrick was ranked the third-best player on The Hockey News' Top-40 NHL Players list.
In 1996-97, Patrick led the Avalanche to a Presidents' Trophy championship with a league-best 38 wins. That year, he played in his seventh All-Star Game, posted a career-low 2.32 GAA and tied a career high with seven shutouts. He won Player of the Week honours in January and finished third in year-end voting for the Vézina Trophy. In the playoffs, Patrick and the Avalanche advanced to the Western Conference finals. In 1997-98, Patrick opened the season with Player of the Week honours (October 6) and finished the year at 31-19-13 with four shutouts. He played in his eighth All-Star Game and the Avalanche won another Pacific Division title. In the playoffs, Patrick posted a 2.51 GAA in seven games.
In 1998-99, Patrick went 32-19-8 (a record-setting ninth 30-win season) with a 2.29 GAA and five shutouts. Patrick won Player of the Month honours in January and Player of the Week honours on March 28 while the Avalanche won the Northwest Division season title. In the playoffs, the Avalanche again advanced to the Western Conference finals. In 1999-2000, Patrick won 32 games (his tenth 30-win season) and posted a new low 2.28 GAA. In the playoffs, Patrick led the team to its third appearance in the Western Conference finals in four years.
In 2000-01, Patrick led the Avalanche to a Presidents' Trophy championship with a club-record 52 wins and 118 points. Patrick himself set a team record with 40 wins and a 2.21 GAA. On October 17 against the Capitals (4-3 overtime win), Patrick passed Terry Sawchuk as the league's all-time wins leader. Later that year in February, he was the starting goaltender at the 2001 All-Star Game in Colorado. In the playoffs, Patrick helped his team win both the Clarence Campbell Bowl and the Stanley Cup. He won the Conn Smythe Trophy, becoming the first player in league history to win the award three times.
