Clark Gillies, Hockey Hall of Famer and Islanders four-time Stanley Cup winner, dies at age 67

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“The National Hockey League mourns the death of Clark Gillies, the ice tower of the New York Islanders in the early 1980s and a mainstay of the Long Island community ever since,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said.

“Gillies helped define the term ‘power striker’ for a 14-season Hall of Fame career at Islanders and Buffalo Sabers, highlighted by winning four consecutive Stanley Cups with the Islanders.”

The Islanders chose Saskatchewan to be fourth in the 1974 NHL draft. With the Islanders, he scored 304 goals and scored 359 assists in 872 games in 12 seasons.

In 159 playoffs with the Islanders, the Gillies scored 47 goals and 46 assists. One of 17 Islanders who won four consecutive Stanley Cups between 1980 and 1983, Gillies was part of the group that won the league record in the 19 playoff series – the record is still valid.

Clark Gillies received the honor in December 2014 before the Islanders game at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York.

The left winger was one of the most successful strikers of the decade, nicknamed the “Trio Grande”, with two upcoming Hockey Hall of Famers, center Bryan Trottier and right winger Mike Bossy. This line also led Team Canada to second place in the 1981 Canada Cup.

“The entire Islanders community has been destroyed by the loss of Clark Gillies,” Islanders president and CEO Lou Lamoriello said. “He described what it means to be a New York Islander. The pride he felt when he wore an Islanders sweater on the ice showed his willingness to do anything to win. On the ice, he had just as much presence, always with time to give back to the local community.

“The New York Islanders have four Stanley Cups because he and members of those dynasty teams did it on behalf of the franchise company. On behalf of the entire organization, we send our deepest condolences to the entire Gillies family.”

After the Islanders 4-0 home win against Arizona Coyotes on Friday, head coach Barry Trotz said the striker misses.
The Boston Bruins will retire instead in honor of Willie O’Ree, the first 22 black NHL players

“He was bigger than life,” Trotz said. “When you saw Clark Gillies, you thought Islander. I mean, there was no doubt. There was no gray area. Charismatic. He played right, he was part of the community.

“Everything you think about the islanders, a good teammate, a fantastic person, all that kind of thing. My heart fell when I was told it was coming from the ice. You’re going to be missed, you know, he’s really doing it.”

New York gave up Gillies number 9 on December 7, 1996.

In 2002, Gillies was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame. His bio page it reads, “He was a ruthless rival who was virtually unstoppable when his opponent raised his anger.”
Gillies would end his career 319 goals and 378 assists in the regular season after playing two seasons in the Sabers.
Gillies loi Clark Gillies Foundation, a non – profit company that helps children with physical, developmental and / or financial disabilities. According to the organisation’s website, the aim is to “help children improve their quality of life and help during a crisis”.
The Huntington Hospital Children’s Emergency Unit on Long Island has had named after Gillies and his foundation.

Sources

1/ https://Google.com/

2/ https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/22/sport/clark-gillies-death/index.html

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