The Islanders 50th Anniversary season is approaching. This gives the franchise an opportunity to celebrate the past and the post to elect a 50th anniversary player. Team history.
If you're going to do the 50 most important people in the history of an organization, Bill Torrey, the general manager of all time, and Al Arbor, the full-time coach, should be in first or second place, respectively. But the pair of suits at the top of the list.
However, this anniversary also creates an opportunity for the islanders to retire from their first captain, number 18, and raise their jersey to the top of the UBS Arena, celebrating Ed Westfall, now 81 years old. No. 5, Clark Gillies No. 9, Bryan Trottier No. 19, Mike Bossy No. 22, Bob Nystrom No. 23, John Tonelli No. 27, Billy Smith No. 31, Butch Goring No. 91.
Westfall will be the first such prestigious player who was not part of the dynasty. Not surprisingly, in the seven seasons before 1979-80, he was an integral part of laying the foundation for four consecutive Stanley Cup championship teams and maturing the organization and its impossibly young star.
The numbers are unobtrusive, but a little better than the Checkwing and Penalty Kill specialists had imagined: 105 goals (29th tie in franchise history), 181 assists (23rd), 493 games (34th) ) With 286 points (27th).
However, the Bruins team dropped out on the island in the 1972 expansion draft. Westfall, who came to Japan, won his second cup for the first time in three years, providing leadership and professionalism to set an example for his young teammates.
In a way, fighting the Rangers in 5th place throughout the final season of the Original Six was a perfect circle for Westfall, who was part of all Bruins clubs. He was in Boston when Bobby Orr arrived. He was on the island when Potobin came ... and with Gillies, Trotier and Bossy ...
Westfall was one of the greatest teammates in NHL history, wearing an islander's uniform. Was one of the most popular and crowded in history. Among those 105 goals, 3-0 to 3 years in the series, giving the Islanders a 1-0 victory at 14:42 in the third period of Round 7 in Pittsburgh in 1975. There was something that solidified the historic rally of the Eye Team.
By the way, Westfall entered the forecheck in the right corner because he hurriedly left the puck in Brad Park and Jude Drouin fed J.P. Parize at 0:11 overtime. rice field. The definitive game against the Rangers in the 1975 qualifying round, which symbolizes the Teutons plate seismic shift 3.
Again, it wasn't a number. Westfall, who became a club television analyst for 20 years next to Jiggs McDonald, set a template for what it means to be an islander. To mean that it is a professional. He acted as a bridge to the dynasty.
It wasn't a number.
It was a man.
I was in 18th place.
It's not the first time to be dignified, but Slapshot finds out that the Rangers and Jimmy BG are reunited. horizon.
This 29-year-old boy traded his rights with Predator, who drafted Harvard's products in 2012, the 66th overall. After leaving Manhattan and stopping in Buffalo, Toronto and Vancouver, BG has entered a solid season in New Jersey.
Probably sign a free agent contract for at least $ 750,000. If assigned to AHL Hartford, it counts as a cap. Vesie, who played 50-40-90 in 240 games for the first time in the Rangers, competes for the role of the bottom 6 in the 4th line, which Tyler Mott did very well. Last spring, but he cut himself.
So the myth that no one wants to play in Calgary was signed up by the wonderful 29-year-old playmaking leftist Jonathan Yuberdeau for $ 84 million ($ 10.5 million cap hit) for eight years. Sometimes it was a hit.
Again, legal bribery is attractive.
The usual suspects continue to report that Nazem Kadori is still looking for a long-term commitment with sticker prices starting with "9". If it's actually a second line center revenue, a person who turns 32 a week before the opening round isn't a mystery why he's not signed.
Ask Julian Gautier:
Is there another player who can come up with a power wing, Mike Nable's and a late career scoring blast track that spent years with the Rangers? ?? During the Dark Ages of 1997-2004 before he was sent to Boston for Rob Dimaio.
In the first six years of his career in Red Wings, Blue Shirts and Blue Inns, Nable, aged 24-29, averaged 12:04 ice time, scoring 50 goals and 103 points in 353 games. I recorded it. His number of goals per game was 0.14.
However, his next eight seasons are 30 From age-Nable, who played 38 games in Boston, Philadelphia and Washington, scored 218 goals and 419 points in 615 games with an average of 18:31 ice. His goal-per was increased to 0.52.
We apologize for overlooking Steve Weeks as a goalkeeper who played for both the Rangers and the Islanders. Not only that, as one of the seven netminders wearing both uniforms, Weeks was the only one to post a victory record for both teams, after doing 42-33-14, 1991-92. I fought against Islanders 9-4-2. For the 1981-84 blue shirt.
He is second only to Glen Healy in the ranking. Therefore, Steve Valiquette will be pushed up to 7th place overall, but he may be able to improve his position by analyzing the numbers during the MSG period.
Finally, I'm trying to imagine a "Mato". Matthew. Matthew. With the rhythm of my beloved Vin Scully.
Enjoy the rest of the summer.
