Nick Fotiu?

[NYRSinceBirth]

Sorry, my curiosity got to me, so I had to make a thread.

I've always found it cool that (Or am I uncool for thinking this?) Me and Nick Fotiu were born in the same place (Staten Island) and share the same birthday (May 25th).

My question is, how is he remembered? All I've gotten from researching him is that he was an enforcer, and a very tough SOB. My dad told me he used to be able to whip pucks up to the blues (400s) because that's the only seats Nick could afford as a kid. That and Wikipedia told me he's the assistant coach for Hartford.

Was he a straight up goon? Respected/feared? His point totals aren't impressive, but can anyone elaborate on his play, Someone that's seen him actually play?

Click to read more...

 

[Pocket Hercules]

I remember Foitu more for being Gretzky's first AND last fight ever in his career.

 

[MXD]

I remember Foitu more for being Gretzky's first AND last fight ever in his career.

Fail. Gretz also tried to fight Neal Broten.

 

[Pocket Hercules]

Fail. Gretz also tried to fight Neal Broten.

No, you fail.

 

[MXD]

No, you fail.

The worst is, you actually have a point. It was so bad it can't even be consider a try...

 

[brianscot]

Fotiu was actually quite athletic and had good straight ahead speed.

Unfortunately, his hockey skills weren't located on the same planet as his physical prowess.

He was the prototypical good team guy who fought the guys he was supposed to fight (Behn Wilson, Holmgren, Nystrom, Nilan, etc).

Feared? I don't think fighters fear other fighters but do respect them. Fotiu was respected for doing his job.

 

[Pocket Hercules]

The worst is, you actually have a point. It was so bad it can't even be consider a try...

I think afterwards it dawned on Gretz to not even attempt even something remotely aggressive like a face-wash again and just let Semenko and Mcsorley TCB henceforth.

 

[Trottier]

A tough hombre.

Won most of his fights, though I fondly remember Bobby Nystrom pummeling him once.

Actually a good skater, too, though I recall reading a funny line about him written by a local NYC hockey writer:

"If it weren't for end boards, Nick Fotui would skate around around the world."

 

[pld459666]

.

here's an interesting tidbit.

The old Garden used to be on 49th street and 9th avenue. Right up the blook from where I grew up. They moved to the current location when I was 1 years old.

Anyway, Emile Francis was walking down the block one day thinking about a line-up for that nights game when he came upon kids who he thought were playing ice hockey.

It actually turned out that they were playing roller hockey.

After watching for a few hours, The Cat went right back to MSG Management and told themt o invest some money in a local league, which they did (not sure if anyone remembers the Metropoliton Ice Hockey League. The Cat promised that if folks from the neighborhood had the opportunity to play on ice, they may be able to develope some talent.

From that we saw both Joey and Brian Mullen start playing in that Met League, then in college then to the Pros.

Considering that both Brothers lived across the street from where The Cat saw those kids playing roller hockey, I'd say that he was dead on in his prediction of developing tealent from the area.

I know this was about Nicky, I'm getting to that.

Fotiu got his start in Ice Hockey playing in the Met League which is where he was discovered.

Very productive walk I must say.

 

[mrhockey193195]

Fotiu was an absolute fan favorite in NY.

 

[MXD]

here's an interesting tidbit.

The old Garden used to be on 49th street and 9th avenue. Right up the blook from where I grew up. They moved to the current location when I was 1 years old.

Anyway, Emile Francis was walking down the block one day thinking about a line-up for that nights game when he came upon kids who he thought were playing ice hockey.

It actually turned out that they were playing roller hockey.

After watching for a few hours, The Cat went right back to MSG Management and told themt o invest some money in a local league, which they did (not sure if anyone remembers the Metropoliton Ice Hockey League. The Cat promised that if folks from the neighborhood had the opportunity to play on ice, they may be able to develope some talent.

From that we saw both Joey and Brian Mullen start playing in that Met League, then in college then to the Pros.

Considering that both Brothers lived across the street from where The Cat saw those kids playing roller hockey, I'd say that he was dead on in his prediction of developing tealent from the area.

I know this was about Nicky, I'm getting to that.

Fotiu got his start in Ice Hockey playing in the Met League which is where he was discovered.

Very productive walk I must say.

What's interesting is the use of WE...

Please, continue...

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

A tough hombre.

Won most of his fights, though I fondly remember Bobby Nystrom pummeling him once.

Actually a good skater, too, though I recall reading a funny line about him written by a local NYC hockey writer:

"If it weren't for end boards, Nick Fotui would skate around around the world."

That's what I remember about Nick. The boards were his brakes.

And he used to toss pucks up to the 300's in Hartford too.

 

[EventHorizon]

And he used to toss pucks up to the 300's in Hartford too.

That's one of the things that made him my parents' favorite player. They even named my younger brother after him.

 

[Burlington Bomb 26]

Nick Fotiu is the man.

My Dad's friend has partial season pack to the Rangers and people always think he's Nick Fotiu since he looks exactly like him, when Nick was younger. and So he would get perks like MSG usher's would bring him to Nicky Fotiu's seat and give him free drinks, people would ask for autographs, then He was seated and Nick Fotiu was sitting there and he asked him to go with him where Gilbert, and all the other Ranger legends get to sit and once they got there Nick Fotiu goes "See I told you he looks like me"

Long story short Nick Fotiu is the man. I still can't forget him fighting in the stands during the Kings-Rangers playoff game.

 

[Trottier]

Long story short Nick Fotiu is the man. I still can't forget him fighting in the stands during the Kings-Rangers playoff game.

At 5:40 below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQUwpwkf624

 

[David Bruce Banner]

I remember him being a feared fighter. He was known to be a real Hard Puncher. The "Hard Puncher tag" is a weird one, because it doesn't necessarily mean that you are the "best fighter" in the league, but when you land one, it hurts. Two others I've heard called Hard Punchers are/were Joey Kocur and Brad May.

 

[Don Nachbaur 26]

He also went toe-toe with Link Gaetz in a living room in Nashville (??)...