The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Jonathon Naylor Editor From one of hockey's all-time great dynasties to perennial sad sacks, the New York Islanders have amassed both a triumphant and disappointing legacy. This year marks 40 years of big league hockey on Long Island, the perfect opportunity to reflect on the colourful history of a club affectionately known as the Isles. Intriguingly, the history of the Islanders began not so much with the National Hockey League, but with the World Hockey Association. The WHA set out to launch its inaugural season in the fall of 1972 and, quite naturally, wanted a presence in the mammoth state of New York. They planned a team for Long Island, playing at the Nassau Coliseum (now Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum). But in a preemptive strike against the upstart rival league, the NHL offered a team to Long Island to occupy the brand new coliseum instead. Much to the chagrin of the New York Rangers, who feared bleeding fan support, the New York Islanders were born. In the summer of 1972, an expansion draft was held to stock the rosters of both the Islanders and the now-defunct Atlanta Flames. Among New York's draftees were Flin Flon's own Gerry Hart and an unproven future Hall of Famer, goalie Billy Smith. Little success was anticipated and little was achieved that first season, 1972-73, as the NYI compiled one of the league's all-time worst records of 12-60-6. That summer, GM Bill Torrey brought in former St. Louis Blues coach Al Arbour as the new bench boss. He would spend 19 (non-consecutive) years guiding the Islanders. The Isles made a major turnaround in 1974-75, making the playoffs for the first time. That early roster included names that would become famous in the annals of hockey history: Denis Potvin, Bob Nystrom, Clark Gillies and, now established as a top starter in net, Billy Smith. The Islanders downed their state rivals, the Rangers, in the first round. In the second round, they pulled off the incredible feat of coming back from a 3-0 series deficit to best the Pittsburgh Penguins. The magic ended against the Philadelphia Flyers, but it was clear the Islanders were a team on the rise. It was only a matter of time before their time came. The Islanders continued to enjoy regular season success throughout the 1970s, but the Stanley Cup eluded them despite the tremendous additions of Mike Bossy and Bryan Trottier as well as the emergence of Glenn 'Chico' Resch as a steady goaltending partner for Smith. Things finally came together for the Isles in 1980 when they faced the Philadelphia Flyers in the Stanley Cup Final. New York took the series 4-2, and though no one knew it at the time, it was the beginning of a dynasty. New York disposed of the Minnesota North Stars in the 1981 Final when another Isles legend, Butch Goring, was named playoff MVP. The following year, the Islanders swept the surprising Vancouver Canucks in the final round. That was three Cups in a row for a team that had only existed for a decade. And incredibly, a fourth was around the corner. The 1983 Final was seen as the past, represented by the Islanders, versus the future, the Gretzky-led Edmonton Oilers. The Islanders won in four straight games, but in the rematch between the two teams in 1984, it was Edmonton's turn to win. With an aging core, the Islanders dynasty was over and Edmonton's had just begun. In the coming years, key members of the Islanders began departing the island. Goring was moved to Boston in 1984, and in 1986 John Tonelli was shipped to Calgary and Nystrom retired. Bossy, still a potent offensive force, had to retire in 1987 due to injuries. Smith's play began to subside as Kelly Hrudey began picking up more starts. Potvin remained for most of the 1980s, and Trottier until 1990, as younger guys like Pat Lafontaine, Brent Sutter and Pat Flatley took over roster spots. The Islanders continued to be successful but never did make it back to the Final. By 1989, with Arbour back behind the bench following a two-year retirement, New York tied the Quebec Nordiques for the worst record in the league. As the 1990s began, Lafontaine was the team's lone superstar, but he was traded in 1991. By 1992-93 the core included Pierre Turgeon, Steve Thomas, Benoit Hogue, Ray Ferraro and Derek King. Glenn Healy and Mark Fitzpatrick guarded the mesh. In the 1993 playoffs, the Isles astonished everyone by reaching the final four, defeating the defending Stanley Cup champion Penguins along the way. They lost to the Montreal Canadiens, who went on to win it all. Unfortunately for fans, the Islanders enjoyed little to no success throughout the rest of the 1990s. Arbour retired for good after 1993-94, when his team was swept by the Rangers. In the ensuing years, even solid talents like Ziggy Palffy, Robert Reichel, Bryan Berard and Tommy Salo could not lift the club beyond mediocrity. Off the ice, questions about the future of the franchise were by now constant. Businessman John Spano bought the team in 1996, but the deal had barely closed in 1997 when he was revealed as a fraud without the means to complete the purchase. More ownership issues followed until 2000 when the wealthy Charles Wang became a part owner. In 2004, he would assume full ownership. See 'GM...' on pg 11 Continued from pg. 5 In 2001-02, the Islanders finished with a shocking 96 points, their best total in nearly two decades. With Alexei Yashin, Mike Peca, Mark Parrish and goalie Chris Osgood leading the way, they lost in the opening round of the playoffs to the Toronto Maple Leafs. During his tenure as GM, Mike Milbury made a variety of questionable moves, including shipping out Roberto Luongo, Zdeno Chara and the draft pick that became Jason Spezza. In fairness, Milbury's hands were tied by a limited budget. A roster highlighted by Alexei Yashin, Jason Blake, Rick DiPietro and (briefly) Ryan Smyth snuck the Isles into the playoffs in 2007, the last time they have qualified. The Islanders are unlikely to make the post-season this year, but the future appears bright with young stars like John Tavares and Matt Moulson on board. There are still questions about the team's long-term viability. With his team still playing in the aging Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Wang says the Islanders need a new arena before the lease expires in 2015. Still, few people seriously believe the Islanders will ever leave. New York remains large enough to sustain two hockey teams, and the Isles have simply amassed too much history to see it all evaporate.
