Denis and Jean Potvin, two former hockey players for the New York Islanders, were born in Vanier, formerly called Eastview. Like most boys their age, they started playing hockey on local outdoor rinks.

Having grown up in Vanier, the two brothers played hockey for the Ottawa 67s. Denis joined the Ottawa 67s in 1968, and he played for this team until 1972. During the following year, he started his career in the National Hockey League (NHL), joining the New York Islanders in 1973, and he achieved great professional success. Denis won the James Norris trophy as the league’s best defenseman in 1976, 1978 and 1979. In addition, he won four consecutive Stanley cups with the Islanders in 1980, 1981, 1982 and 1983. He took his retirement in 1988, having accumulated a total of 1,052 career points in the NHL. Denis Potvin was named to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1991.

Jean Potvin also played as a defenseman, joining several NHL teams between 1970 and 1981, including the Los Angeles Kings, the Philadelphia Flyers, and the New York Islanders. In the course of 613 games, he accumulated 63 goals and 224 assists.