Jean Potvin made his entrance at Patsy’s Pizzeria just across Flatbush Avenue from Barclays Center, where he was greeted by his younger brother Denis, still one of the best known figures in New York sports almost three decades after retiring.
They began playfully bantering in French, which led to laughter and hugs. Such is the constant repartee between the jovial siblings, teammates on the Islanders starting in 1973, when General Manager Bill Torrey acquired Jean from the Philadelphia Flyers and then drafted Denis several months later with the first overall pick.
The Islanders went on to win the Stanley Cup each year from 1980 through 1983.