CMass. Winter Olympians - Where are they now?: Tom Poti, Worcester
![Tom Poti of Worcester looks at the silver medal he won with the United States hockey team at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. [File Photo/The Associated Press]](/gcdn/authoring/2018/01/27/NTEG/ghows-WT-63cddf9f-cf77-5569-e053-0100007fae8c-f62744f5.jpeg?width=300&height=378&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp)
Poti, a Worcester native, took time out from his NHL career to play for the U.S. Hockey Team in the 1992 Salt Lake City Olympics and came within one game of being part of a gold medal winner. That team went 4-0-1 in its first five games to advance to the final versus Canada, with Canada eventually prevailing by 5-2.
Poti, who played for St. Peter-Marian and BU before making his NHL debut with Edmonton in 1998-99, went on to have a long career as a defenseman. He played in 824 NHL games with the Oilers, Rangers, Islanders and Capitals before injuries forced him into retirement after the 2012-13 season.
These days, he lives on Cape Cod and is involved with a variety of interests, including real estate and youth hockey. Poti coaches the sport and last month became part owner of the Boston Bandits Hockey Organization, which has teams in several youth leagues.