At present, we flip again time to understand the life and profession of New York Islanders’ nice, Mike Bossy. He was a four-time Stanley Cup champion and one of the crucial prolific scorers in NHL historical past. Here’s a have a look at the Corridor of Fame proper winger’s journey to the NHL and his life afterward.
A Star within the Making: Mike Bossy’s Childhood
Lengthy earlier than making his debut as a star for the Islanders, Mike Bossy was certainly one of 10 kids rising up within the Bossy family. He had 4 older siblings and 4 youthful siblings, as he was the fifth little one of Borden and Dorothy Bossy. His father, Borden, was of Polish descent and an avid hockey fan. Because of this, he made a yard rink for Mike and his 5 brothers. In his autobiography, Mike mentioned, “Essentially the most enjoyable I ever had rising up was taking part in a sport within the yard rink with my brothers.”
Whereas rising up within the Ahuntsic neighborhood of Montreal, the place the Montreal Canadiens have been seen as royalty, the Detroit Crimson Wings have been the household favourite within the Bossy family. Mike’s mom, Dorothy, even despatched Crimson Wings legend Gordie Howe a birthday card yearly.
Junior Hockey Phenom
Minor Hockey Star
Bossy was phenomenal from the primary sport of organized hockey he ever performed. In response to his mom, he scored 23 objectives in his first sport. The longer term NHL star performed within the 1969 Quebec Worldwide Pee-Wee Hockey Match for the Montreal C.J.M.S.
As Bossy moved alongside the minor hockey ranks, he started to catch the eyes of many junior hockey scouts. One man specifically, Paul Rougeau, took a eager curiosity within the expertise and talent younger Bossy was demonstrating. Rougeau, the top coach of the Laval Nationals from the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), had a plan for him to make his technique to the Nationals by taking part in Midget and Junior B in Laval.
The Bossy household discovered a brand new residence in Chomedey, a Laval neighborhood, to accommodate the event of his blossoming hockey profession. Whereas taking part in on the Chomedey Midget “AA” hockey staff, his life was perpetually altered as he met his future spouse, Lucie Creamer, who was the daughter of the rink supervisor and labored on the enviornment concession.
Bossy’s Ascension by means of the Junior Ranks
Following his Midget season in Chomedey, Bossy started taking part in junior hockey at 15 years previous within the Metropolitan Montreal Junior B Hockey League for the Laval Satellites. He led the league in scoring with 58 objectives and 64 assists, incomes him a one-game tryout with the Nationals QMJHL staff. That one-game tryout become 4 extra seasons with the membership.
Laval Nationals 1972-1977
After debuting as a 15-year-old with the Nationals, Bossy went on to have one of the crucial prolific careers in QMJHL historical past. In his first full season with the staff, the gifted goalscorer put up unimaginable numbers, scoring 70 objectives and 48 assists for 118 factors in 68 video games. He adopted that up by scoring 84 objectives and 65 assists for 149 factors in simply 67 video games.
By his last season with the Nationals, Bossy was named the captain and posted his fourth consecutive 100-point season. He performed 263 video games for the Nationals scoring 309 objectives and 223 assists for 532 factors. His 309 objectives are nonetheless a league file, and his 532 factors sit ninth all-time in QMJHL historical past, simply behind one other notable Corridor of Famer, Mario Lemieux.
There’s a New Boss in City
Within the 1977 NHL Draft, the New York Islanders landed an absolute steal by drafting Bossy fifteenth total. He fell down the draft board as groups cited him as a one-dimensional participant. Islanders’ legendary head coach Al Arbour is credited with persuading basic supervisor Invoice Torrey to pick Bossy over Dwight Foster, who had led the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with 143 factors.
The Islanders’ choice to draft Bossy paid monumental dividends for the franchise as he went on to win the Calder Memorial Trophy because the NHL’s prime rookie within the 1977-78 season. Throughout his rookie season, he performed on the Islanders’ prime line alongside Bryan Trottier and Clark Gillies. The road turned generally known as “The Trio Grande” and performed a pivotal position in the Islanders’ dynasty years. Bossy additionally set a brand new rookie file in objective scoring by lighting the lamp 53 instances, a file that stood till the 1992-93 season when Teemu Selanne scored an absurd 76 objectives as a rookie.
The Dynasty Years
Islanders Win First Stanley Cup
The Islanders have been gaining notoriety across the NHL and in 1980, they gained their first Stanley Cup, starting a really superb run. They famously went on to win 4 straight Stanley Cup championships, and Bossy performed an enormous position in every of them. In the course of the 1980 Playoffs, he missed the primary three video games of the quarter-finals in opposition to the Boston Bruins, nonetheless, returned with a vengeance as he scored twice in his first sport again. The Islanders performed the Buffalo Sabres within the semifinals, and Bossy chipped in three objectives and three assists to assist push New York to the Stanley Cup Remaining. Bossy led all gamers within the Remaining with 11 factors because the Islanders claimed their first championship.
50 in 50
Because the Islanders got down to defend their first championship, Bossy was on a mission, changing into simply the second participant in NHL historical past to attain 50 objectives in 50 video games. He hit the milestone in his fiftieth sport of the season in opposition to the Quebec Nordiques, scoring his fiftieth objective with simply 89 seconds left within the sport. New York then made it back-to-back championships by defeating the Minnesota North Stars within the 1981 Stanley Cup Remaining. He additionally set information within the 1981 Playoffs because the main scorer with 35 factors in 18 playoff video games.
Conn Smythe Winner
Within the 1982 common season, “Boss” posted a career-high 147 factors scoring 64 objectives and including 83 assists. In the course of the playoffs, he gained the Conn Smythe trophy because the playoff MVP, scoring 17 objectives and 10 assists for 27 factors en path to the Islanders’ third straight Cup. By means of their 4 championships, Bossy totaled 61 objectives and 50 assists for 111 factors in 72 video games.
Bossy Hits the 60-Aim Mark for the third Straight Season
The Islanders’ legendary sniper set one other NHL file by changing into the primary participant to attain 60 objectives in three straight seasons. Bossy took residence extra particular person {hardware} as he gained the Girl Byng Memorial Trophy. The fitting winger completed the season with 60 objectives and 58 assists for 118. He continued his elite offensive manufacturing in the course of the 1983 Playoffs because the Islanders as soon as once more defended their standing as champions. In 19 video games, he scored 17 objectives and 10 assists for 26 factors. For the second consecutive season, the prolific goalscorer additionally notched the Stanley Cup-winning objective, changing into simply the second participant in league historical past to take action.
Bossy’s Late Profession & Early Retirement
Bossy performed 4 extra seasons with the Islanders earlier than persistent again issues ended his profession at 30 years previous. By means of his 10-season profession, the Islanders legend hit the 100-point mark seven instances, together with a run of six straight. The 1986-87 season could be the final for Bossy, and whereas he nonetheless posted 75 factors in 63 video games, the season was a giant regression from his prior years on Lengthy Island.
Associated: New York Islanders’ Biggest of All-Time
Had it not been for Wayne Gretzky’s period of dominance, Bossy would have taken residence far more particular person {hardware}. He was the Girl Byng winner thrice, the Calder winner and a Conn Smythe winner. One of many greatest pure objective scorers ever, he ranks first in NHL historical past scoring at .762 objectives per sport price. Gretzky performed in 1,487 video games and scored 894 objectives. Had Bossy performed in the identical quantity of video games and continued his price of goal-scoring, he would have scored an unimaginable 1,133 objectives. Relating to the subject of greatest ever, his title deserves extra recognition as he really was the best goalscorer the NHL has ever seen.
Bossy was inducted into the Hockey Corridor of Fame in 1991 and had his No. 22 retired by the Islanders in 1992.
Life After Hockey
Following his retirement, Bossy joined the hockey stick producer Titan as their vp and commenced his profession within the broadcasting trade masking the Nordiques. He additionally labored for a radio station primarily based out of Montreal. In 2006, he returned to the Islanders group working with the entrance workplace and fan improvement. In 2014, he was employed on as a hockey analyst for MSG Networks earlier than becoming a member of TVA Sports activities as a coloration commentator in Sep. 2015.
Sadly, on April 15, 2022, the hockey world misplaced Bossy as he succumbed to his battle with lung most cancers. He left behind his spouse Lucie and their two kids. Bossy could also be gone, however his legacy and impression on the sport won’t ever be forgotten. Relaxation in peace, Boss.
