Yvon Corriveau was selected 19th overall by the Washington Capitals in the 1985 NHL Entry Draft following his rookie season with the Toronto Marlboros of the OHL. That year, Corriveau registered 23 goals and 51 points in 59 games. The following year, he scored 54 goals and 90 points in 59 games while also playing his first two NHL games with the Caps. In 1986-87, Corriveau dressed for 17 games with Washington and scoring his first goal and assist.
In 1987-88, he got his first prolonged stint with the Capitals, suiting up for 44 games, scoring ten goals and 19 points. After a couple more seasons of bouncing between the Caps and the minors, the club essentially gave up on his further development. Late in the 1989-90 season, he was dealt to the Hartford Whalers for goaltender Mike Liut. Whalers' general manager Eddie Johnston thought he could turn Corriveau into a 25-goal scorer, but his tenure in Hartford produced no tangible improvements. It was apparent that any confidence Corriveau may have had was long gone. He was once quoted as saying bouncing between the NHL and the minors had taken its toll on him. He noted that it was tough to get called back up to the big leagues, only to get two or three shifts a game, or to sit in the press box time and time again.
Following a brief 20-game stop with the San Jose Sharks in 1992-93, Corriveau was back with the Whalers, which turned out to be his final NHL stop. He spent the next four years in the IHL, two with the Minnesota Moose, and two with the Detroit Vipers, but he was never again able to generate any interest from other NHL clubs.
By the age of 30, Corriveau opted to pack his bags and play in the German Elite League. As of the start of the 2001-02 season, he was entering his firth year with Berlin of the DEL. Corriveau played in 280 NHL games, scoring 48 goals and 88 points over a disjointed nine-year career.
