Mike Bossy was an NHL star who played for the New York Islanders in the 1970s and ‘80s.
- Died: April 15, 2022 (Who else died on April 15?)
- Details of death: Died after fighting lung cancer at the age of 65.
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Hall of Fame career
A native of Montreal, Bossy grew up playing hockey and began competing in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League when he was just 15. He was drafted by the Islanders in 1977. Bossy was a right winger in a memorable forward line that came to be called the “Trio Grande,” along with Bryan Trottier and Clark Gillies (1954–2022). He won the Calder Memorial Trophy as Rookie of the Year and went on to help lead the team to four consecutive Stanley Cup victories from 1980 to 1983. Bossy became known as an exceptionally fast skater and a powerful scorer. He was also known for his refusal to fight, and he won the NHL’s Lady Byng Memorial Trophy for gentlemanly conduct three times. He leads the NHL in most consecutive 50+ goal seasons, with nine, and he set many other records, including most consecutive hat tricks and the highest career goals-per-game average. Bossy was named one of the “100 Greatest NHL Players” by the NHL in 2017, and he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1991, not long after his 1988 retirement. The Islanders retired his No. 22 sweater.
Notable quote
“I wanted to be known as more than the goal scorer. I wanted to be known as someone who was good defensively, a good passer, someone who could kill penalties. Nobody wants to be known as a one-dimensional player. It’s important to play well in every position on the ice.” —from a 2011 interview for WFAN.com
Tributes to Mike Bossy
Full obituary: The New York Times
