Mike Bossy, 4-time Stanley Cup champion with the New York Islanders, dead at 65

Mike Bossy, considered one of hockey’s most prolific goal-scorers and a star for the New York Islanders throughout their Eighties dynasty, has died after a battle with lung most cancers. He was 65.

The Islanders and TVA Sports activities, the French-language community in Canada the place he labored as a hockey analyst, confirmed Bossy’s loss of life. A group spokesperson mentioned Bossy was in his native Montreal.

Bossy had revealed his prognosis in October in a letter to TVA Sports activities.

“It’s with lots of disappointment that I must step away out of your screens, for a crucial pause,” Bossy wrote in French. “I intend to battle with all of the dedication and fireplace you’ve got seen me present on the ice.”

It is the third loss from that Islanders period this yr after fellow Hockey Corridor of Famer Clark Gillies died in January and Jean Potvin died in March.

Daughter Tanya Bossy mentioned her father was “not in ache.”

“My dad cherished hockey, certain, however in the beginning he cherished life,” she mentioned in an announcement in French on behalf of the Bossy household. “Till the top of his journey, he held on. He wished to dwell greater than something.”

9 50-goal seasons

Bossy helped the Islanders win the Stanley Cup from 1980-83, profitable the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in 1982. He scored the Cup-winning purpose in 1982 and ’83.

Bossy was a first-round choose in 1977 and performed his whole 10-year NHL profession with New York. He received the Calder Trophy as rookie of the yr, received the Woman Byng Trophy for gentlemanly conduct thrice and led the league in objectives twice.

Bossy scored 50 or extra objectives in every of his first 9 seasons — the league’s longest streak. He and Wayne Gretzky are the one gamers in hockey historical past with 9 50-goal seasons.

“The New York Islanders group mourns the lack of Mike Bossy, an icon not solely on Lengthy Island however the whole hockey world,” Islanders president and basic supervisor Lou Lamoriello mentioned. “His drive to be the perfect each time he stepped on the ice was second to none. Alongside together with his teammates, he helped win 4 straight Stanley Cup championships, shaping the historical past of this franchise ceaselessly.”

The Islanders have been in Bossy’s hometown of Montreal to face off towards the Canadiens on Friday.

Canadiens interim head coach Martin St. Louis, who’s from close by Laval, mentioned Bossy was very a lot concerned with the Montreal hockey neighborhood.

“I used to be born in 1975 and grew up in Laval, so I had an thought of the affect Mike had as a participant. Mike was not simply wonderful on the ice, however off it too,” St. Louis mentioned. “He got here to current the trophies to the younger individuals on the finish of every season. I’ve photos with Mike once I was very younger. He gave his time to return and encourage younger individuals, it was one thing particular.”

Bossy is considered one of solely 5 gamers to attain 50 objectives in 50 video games. He stays the all-time chief in objectives a recreation within the common season at 0.762, and solely two gamers have recorded extra hat methods than Bossy’s 39.

He ranks third in factors a recreation and seventh on the all-time scoring checklist. These are all within the common season when Bossy put up a number of the greatest numbers within the historical past of the sport. Within the playoffs, Bossy was much more clutch. He’s the one participant with 4 game-winners in the identical playoff sequence and scored three playoff additional time objectives.

A part of Islander hockey dynasty

Led by Bossy, Gillies, Bryan Trottier and defenceman Denis Potvin, the Islanders succeeded Scotty Bowman’s Seventies Montreal Canadiens because the NHL’s subsequent dynasty earlier than Gretzky’s Edmonton Oilers took over the game.

Bossy was an eight-time All-Star and completed with 573 objectives and 553 assists for 1,126 factors in 752 regular-season video games. He was the quickest participant to achieve the 100-goal mark and at present ranks twenty second on the profession objectives checklist. Within the playoffs, Bossy had 160 factors in 129 video games.

Again and knee accidents finally ended his profession in 1987. He was restricted to 38 objectives in 63 video games and unable to return for an eleventh season.

Bossy was inducted into the Corridor of Fame in 1991 and in 2017 was named one of many NHL’s 100 best gamers.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman referred to as Bossy a “dynamic winger” whose goal-scoring prowess ranks among the many best in NHL historical past.

“Although containing him was the obsession of opposing coaches and checking him the main target of opposing gamers, Bossy’s brilliance was unstoppable and his manufacturing relentless all through his whole profession,” Bettman mentioned. “He thrilled followers like few others.”

Earlier than reaching the NHL, Bossy performed 5 seasons within the Quebec Main Junior Hockey League with the Laval Nationwide. He had 602 factors in 298 QMJHL video games. Bossy additionally represented Canada on the Canada Cup in 1981 and 1984, lengthy earlier than NHL gamers started going to the Winter Olympics.