Pat LaFontaine Quotations

This was a gift in our lives, for my family and I to play those six years for this wonderful organization. To play in front of you fans is something I will cherish for a lifetime.

I am so proud of my brother. My dad's focus in life has always been to focus on improving your weaknesses because it will also improve your strengths. He is bringing the philosophy to his own team and it's a lesson that carries through not only as a hockey player but for everything you do in life.

For some reasons, things seemed to click right away.

Opening this Lion's Den is truly my dream come true for the patients here at Women & Children's Hospital of Buffalo, many of whom I've had the pleasure to meet and become friends with over the years.

When we came here in 1991, this community embraced me and my family. Everywhere I've gone, people come up and say: 'Thank you for everything you do.' Tonight, I want to tell you it's my turn.

Being with these kids -- knowing their smiles, their pain and their courage -- changed my life.

Not in my wildest dreams I'd think a night like this would happen. To be back in this fashion is really special. This gesture is over the top and overwhelming.

I feel a little bit of everything, but most of all I'm humbled and honored.

I can't tell you guys how honored I am and how proud I am to join the great tradition and to be up there with you guys. When I was my son's age, about 10, I had a childhood idol and I can't tell you, in my wildest dreams, that I'd ever think that my jersey would be going next to his.

If you've only got one day to live, come see the Toronto Maple Leafs. It'll seem like forever.

Every time you sustain a head injury, the risk gets higher and higher. I always said that if there ever was a point where the risk was more than minimal, I would stop playing.

I've been fortunate. I've had no residual effects whatsoever. I got out just in time.

It is an immense privilege to be able to play in the NHL. I was very blessed and a lot of things went my way to be able to make it.

A lot of people think that you have to specialize in one sport from an early age in order to turn pro. Most of my teammates played a lot of different sports when we were kids. I liked to golf, water ski and play baseball. That helped me develop other aspects of my game and made me WANT to be on the ice even more once hockey season started.

I have a brother who practiced every bit as much as I did, but he never made pro. In order to make it as a pro you have to develop your God-given skills.

You can't abuse your body and you need to work hard on your weaknesses. Everyone likes to focus on the things they are good at. But when you focus on the things you are weak at, it makes you a much better athlete.