New York Islanders
About the New York Islanders
The New York Islanders were founded in 1972 and joined the NHL alongside the Atlanta Flames.
The creation of the Islanders was closely connected to the opening of Nassau Coliseum and the arrival of the rival World Hockey Association (WHA). The NHL wanted to establish a team on Long Island rather than allow the new league to gain a foothold in the arena.
The Islanders struggled badly during their inaugural 1972-73 season but improved remarkably quickly. They reached the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in their third season and, by the end of the decade, had developed into one of the greatest dynasties in NHL history.
From 1980 through 1983, the Islanders won four consecutive Stanley Cups.
Division History
When the Islanders entered the NHL in 1972, they were placed in the East Division.
League realignment in 1974 moved New York into the Patrick Division of the Campbell Conference. Another reorganization in 1981 kept the Islanders in the Patrick Division but shifted the division into the Wales Conference.
When the NHL introduced geographic conference and division names in 1993, the Islanders became members of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference.
Another league realignment in 2013 placed New York in the newly created Metropolitan Division, where the Islanders remain today.
The exception was the shortened 2020-21 season, when the NHL temporarily reorganized its divisions and the Islanders competed in the East Division.
Championship History
The Islanders reached the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time during the 1974-75 season and immediately produced a memorable run.
New York overcame a 3-0 series deficit against the Pittsburgh Penguins to win its quarterfinal series in seven games. The Islanders then nearly repeated the feat against the Philadelphia Flyers, recovering from another 3-0 deficit before losing Game 7 of the semifinals.
By the end of the decade, the Islanders had developed into an NHL powerhouse.
New York won its first Stanley Cup in 1980, defeating the Philadelphia Flyers in six games. Bobby Nystrom scored the championship-winning goal in overtime, while Bryan Trottier received the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.
The Islanders successfully defended the Stanley Cup in 1981, defeating the Minnesota North Stars in five games.
A third consecutive championship followed in 1982, when New York swept the Vancouver Canucks in the Stanley Cup Final. Mike Bossy won the Conn Smythe Trophy during that postseason.
The Islanders completed their dynasty in 1983 by sweeping the Edmonton Oilers to win a fourth consecutive Stanley Cup. Goaltender Billy Smith received the Conn Smythe Trophy.
New York returned to the Stanley Cup Final for a fifth consecutive season in 1984, but Edmonton defeated the Islanders and ended their championship run.
The Islanders won 19 consecutive playoff series from 1980 through 1984, an NHL record that still stands.
The franchise has won six division championships, with all six coming during the period from 1977-78 through 1983-84.
Decades later, the Islanders again came close to reaching the Stanley Cup Final. New York advanced to the Eastern Conference Final in 2020 and reached the Stanley Cup Semifinals in 2021. The Tampa Bay Lightning eliminated the Islanders on both occasions, including a seven-game series in 2021.
Home of the Islanders
The Islanders play their home games at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York.
Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale served as the franchise's original home when the Islanders began play in 1972. The arena became closely associated with the team's championship dynasty, hosting all four Stanley Cup-winning Islanders teams.
New York left Nassau Coliseum in 2015 and moved to Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
The Brooklyn arrangement proved relatively short-lived. The Islanders later began playing games at Nassau Coliseum again and eventually returned there for their final season before their new permanent arena was completed.
UBS Arena opened at Belmont Park in 2021, with the Islanders playing their first game there in November of that year.
The arena has a hockey capacity of 17,255 and was designed as the franchise's permanent home on Long Island.
Notable Islanders
Bryan Trottier remains the leading scorer in Islanders history.
New York selected Trottier in the second round of the 1974 NHL Amateur Draft, and he spent 15 seasons with the Islanders.
Trottier recorded 500 goals, 853 assists and 1,353 points in 1,123 regular-season games for New York. He remains the franchise leader in games played, assists and points.
He won the Calder Trophy as NHL Rookie of the Year, the Hart Trophy as league MVP and the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL's leading scorer. Trottier also received the Conn Smythe Trophy during the Islanders' first Stanley Cup championship in 1980.
His No. 19 was retired by the franchise in 2001.
Mike Bossy became one of the greatest goal scorers in NHL history during his relatively short career with the Islanders.
Bossy spent his entire 10-season NHL career with New York and scored a franchise-record 573 goals in 752 regular-season games. He also recorded 1,126 points, second only to Trottier in Islanders history.
Bossy scored at least 50 goals in each of his first nine NHL seasons, an NHL record for consecutive 50-goal seasons. In 1980-81, he became only the second player in NHL history to score 50 goals in his team's first 50 games of a season.
He played on all four Stanley Cup championship teams and won the Conn Smythe Trophy during the 1982 playoffs.
Denis Potvin became the cornerstone of the Islanders' defense after New York selected him with the first overall pick in the 1973 NHL Amateur Draft.
Potvin spent his entire 15-season NHL career with the Islanders and recorded 310 goals, 742 assists and 1,052 points.
He won the Norris Trophy as the NHL's top defenseman three times and captained New York to all four of its Stanley Cup championships.
During his career, Potvin became the NHL's all-time leading scorer among defensemen, a record that was later surpassed. His No. 5 was retired by the Islanders in 1992.
Billy Smith provided the Islanders with elite goaltending throughout their championship dynasty.
Smith was selected by New York in the 1972 NHL Expansion Draft and spent 17 seasons with the franchise. He played on all four Stanley Cup championship teams and won the Vezina Trophy in 1982.
Smith received the Conn Smythe Trophy during the Islanders' fourth consecutive Stanley Cup run in 1983.
Clark Gillies was another central member of the dynasty. The powerful left wing spent 12 seasons with the Islanders, served as team captain before Potvin and played on all four championship teams.
Other prominent players in Islanders history include Bobby Nystrom, Butch Goring, John Tonelli, Pat LaFontaine, Brent Sutter, John Tavares and Ilya Sorokin.