Toronto-born Pat Flatley had the good fortune to grow up in Etobicoke. He began his hockey career playing in the OHA for the Henry Carr Crusaders. From there, he played for two seasons for the University of Wisconsin.

A valuable, hard-working right-winger who could both score and check, he was chosen by the New York Islanders in 1982, but first went on to help the Badgers win the NCAA crown in 1983 and be named to the WCHA first all-star team, NCAA West first-all-American team and the NCAA championship all-star team.

The next season, he scored 4 goals in seven games to help Canada win bronze at the ‘83 World Junior Championships, and later that season won bronze with the senior team at the Worlds.

He spent the following year on the National team, scoring 31 goals in 57 games. He helped Canada reach fourth at the Sarajevo Olympics, scoring twice in the 4-3 win over Czechoslovakia.

He finished the season with the Islanders, getting nine points in 16 games and then scoring 9 goals in 21 games as the team fought to retain the Stanley Cup.

Pat played twelve straight years with the Islanders after that, emerging as a team leader. His most spectacular night was at the Maple Leaf Gardens where he scored 4 times in front of his delighted family, for an Islanders’ win, 5-4.

He played one more season, for the New York Rangers, before retiring. For the last three years he and his family are living once again in Etobicoke.