There comes a time in every one’s life when their hopes and dreams finally come true. For Tom Poti, one of the Washington Capitals’ star defensemen, that day was June 22, 1996.

Destiny found Poti in the 1996 Entry Level Draft for the National Hockey League. He was picked in the third round by the Edmonton Oilers and would be sent to training camp at the end of August.

Born on March 22, 1977 in Worcester, Mass., Poti was a devoted hockey player from the age of seven. He attended St. Peter Marion High School in Worcester for two years, then went to Cushing Academy in Ashburnham, Mass., for the remainder of his high school years. Continue reading →