Mark Fitzpatrick is a former professional ice hockey goaltender who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for over a decade. He was born on June 7, 1968, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and began his hockey career playing for the Cornwall Royals of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) in the 1980s.
Fitzpatrick was drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in the second round of the 1987 NHL Entry Draft. He made his NHL debut with the Kings during the 1988-89 season, playing in 10 games and posting a 3-5-1 record. He spent the next few seasons splitting time between the Kings and their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the New Haven Nighthawks.
In 1993, Fitzpatrick was traded to the New York Islanders, where he would spend the next five seasons. He had some of his best seasons with the Islanders, including the 1995-96 season, where he posted a 2.87 goals against average (GAA) and a .906 save percentage (SV%) in 61 games played. He also helped lead the Islanders to the playoffs in 1994 and 1995.
After his time with the Islanders, Fitzpatrick played for several other NHL teams, including the Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Chicago Blackhawks. He also played for the Canadian national team in the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan.
Fitzpatrick retired from professional hockey in 2000, finishing his NHL career with a record of 161-158-43, a 2.97 GAA, and a .899 SV%. He also played in 17 playoff games, posting a 7-10 record with a 2.87 GAA and a .904 SV%.
Since retiring from hockey, Fitzpatrick has worked as a goaltending coach for several teams, including the Islanders, Panthers, and Montreal Canadiens. He has also been involved in youth hockey development programs and has worked as a television analyst for NHL games.
Overall, Mark Fitzpatrick had a successful career as an NHL goaltender, playing for several teams and helping lead the Islanders to the playoffs multiple times. He has continued to be involved in the hockey world since retiring, using his experience and knowledge to help develop the next generation of goaltenders.
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