TOP 9: BEST ISLANDERS OF THE 1970s
(Who didn’t play on the Stanley Cup teams)
by Chris Botta
That’s an important distinction. Without it, this is mostly a list of dynasty players. With it, this is a chance to acknowledge some of those who paved the way.
1. Ed Westfall: The first Captain and one of the two most important men to wear the C in franchise history. “18” deserves to be inducted (soon) in the Islanders Hall of Fame.
2. Billy Harris: 623 games in the decade for the first overall pick in 1972, 184 goals and 443 points. He finished top-five in scoring in the franchise’s first five seasons. Another deserving NYI HOF inductee from the early ’70s followed by…
3. Gerry Hart: 476 games of some of the gutsiest and grittiest blueline play you ever saw.
4. J.P. Parise: Three straight seasons of more than 20 goals, plus that playoff overtime tally against the Rangers in ’75 to put the franchise on the map.
5. Dave Lewis: 514 games as a defensive stalwart in the ’70s, only to come a few months short of winning the Cup when he joined Harris in the trade to LA for Butch Goring.
6. Jude Drouin: Played four pretty good regular seasons with Islanders, but check out these playoffs numbers: 48 games, 17-27-44, including two game-winning goals – one in overtime.
7. Bert Marshall: Credited by many who were there for being a magnificent veteran tutor to the young defensemen, including a kid named Denis.
8. Richie Hansen: A local exemption. The pride of Northport was the first Long Islander to play for the Islanders.
9. Gerry Desjardins: Deserves a medal for being a goaltender on the first two Islanders teams.
Your nominees, in Comments…
23 Responses to TOP 9: BEST ISLANDERS OF THE 1970s
(Who didn’t play on the Stanley Cup teams)
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19 Isle in NJ 22 says:
18 rightly deserves the honor of #1 … after all … he scored the Isles’ first goal … I’d like to round out your list with #10 Jean Potvin. By today’s standards Jean would be a top defenseman .. and coach’s favorite.
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Pat says:
I would like to nominate Ralph Stewart. Also, Andre St. Laurent and Mike Kaszycki.
Kaz brought us back Gordie Lane as a return. I think Jean Potvin technically was on the 2nd Cup winning team and got a ring – so ineligible.
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Jean is listed as being on both the 1980 and 1981 Isles team. Chris – there was some controversy surrounding Jean’s inclusion on the Stanley Cup. Didn’t the team dress him for one game in the finals during one of those playoff years?
Also – just to throw some love to the original team, Tom Miller, Germain Gagnon and Jim Mair were three players who I liked a lot.
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Correction: I meant to explain Jean Potvin’s first tenure as an Islander as being an important part of the Islanders’ building years … his second tenure disqualifies him from the top 9 … but it goes without saying that JP was rescued in time to rejoin the Isles to drink from the chalice… otherwise he’d of been another part of the foundation of the franchise that didn’t enjoy the fruits of the dynasty.
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guerin13 says:
a night for eddie westfall is long overdue. imo, he’s co mr. islander, along with bobby nystrom.
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Chuck DiMaggio says:
I’d like to see the Islanders retire Ed Westfall’s number 18 in appreciation, honor and respect to the first Islanders captain. It appears that Eddie follows the team closely as I have seen him at the Coliseum a few times this season.
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Thats nice to know, Chuck! I havent seen The Captain for a while, I wish that he would stop by the Isles broadcast and say hello
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Westfall says:
Good memories there, thanks Chris. #18 without a doubt deserves to be in the Isles HOF (along with Tonelli). I agree with Pat as well regarding Andre St. Laurent, he was a popular player back in the day. Another good player for the NYI back then was Billy MacMillan.
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Bob says:
I was thinking Chico because it never seemed like he was on the cup winning teams only the years before.
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DP's Groin says:
I wouldn’t say he’s co-Mr.Islander along with Bobby Ny…..but he’s an integral figure in our history.
Met him quite a few times and he’s one solid reason why hockey is the best place for good people being stars. Great to fans, always willing to talk and a great guy to meet, like many NHLers.
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isles99 says:
in canada’s 15-0 win against kazahastan, tavares had 2 goals and 2 assists giving him 7 points in 2 games in the tournament……isles should take note and keep the losses coming
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Since72 says:
Not sure when chico left the isle, but he was the man in ’76 run. very important member of 70′s teams and competion for playing time pushed Billy to his greatness.
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I can live with a lot of losses this season to see Tavares in an Islanders jersey!!
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Chris TMC (Thats nice to know, Chuck! I havent seen The Captain for a while, I wish that he would stop by the Isles broadcast and say hello
)When 18 is at the Coliseum, he’s usually in section 213.
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rb says:
Jude Drouin was my favorite – he along with Parise – looked like he walked straight out of Slap Shot.
I also agree with those of you who nominated Andre St. Laurent, Billy MacMillan and Mike Kasczicki. St. Laurent always sticks in my head alongside Howatt and Nystrom. And MacMillan I always remember as one of our super penalty killers.
If you watch the Youtube clip of John Tonelli’s Game 5 OT series winner against the Pens in ’82, there’s a point where Nystrom is talking to St. Laurent (of the Pens) on the handshake line. Too bad he couldn’t win a Cup somewhere.
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!ayk says:
Chico was on the first cup winner, traded to the rockies, with steve tambellini, the following year to the rockies for mike mcewen. The day of the trade, the rockies played the rangers at the garden. tamby scored the game winner for the rockies, but chico looked crazy in that rockies blue. I was there, right behind the net where tamby scored.
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Spinner9 says:
Eddie Westfall was “the guy” on those early Islanders squads. He was one of the few “quality” players the early teams had and he played first line center as well as PP and PK. I think I even remember him playing a few shifts on D when they were short-handed there. Although he didn’t make it to the Cup winning years it was good to see him hang around long enough to see the team become contenders. At the end of his career he was one of the premier penalty killers in the league. He was also a steadying inflence on a couple of young squads (which is why you always need some veteran presence-even when rebuilding). Of course I enjoyed Spinner Spencer his first year here but he doesn’t belong on the list.
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Matt Scordato says:
What is Richie Hanson doing on this list CB? Yeah he is a LI native but a marginal player at best. I agree w/ the additions of Andre St. Laurent and Billy MacMillan, also Pat Price was a very good 3-4 dman and Ralph Stewart a very serviceable forward.
Also, what ever became of Michel Bergeron? Had great hands and tons of potential, I recall Torrey picked him up from Detroit for nothing but this guy fell of the face of the earth.
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Dmarie says:
Wow! these were all goodies
remembered for different things they brought to the Ice/team and I agree with Chuck they should retire his number(Westfalls)and it should hang up there with the rest honoring him as the first C of this team. -
Mike from Oceanside says:
Richie Hanson??? His biggest contribution was that he was from Northport. In 16 games played for the Islanders, he had a pair of goals and six helpers. Exclusion notwithstanding…a poor choice over someone like Billy MacMillian or Andre St. Laurent who both should have made this list somehow.
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Bariphernalia says:
Pat LaFontaine of course….but you knew I would say that!
The infamous Bryan “Spinner” Spencer. Aside from having the great Guy Maddin film his bio, he was an early crowd favorite at the NVMC. In a sense, his recklessness allowed the developing Gary Howatt, Bobby Nystrom, and Clark Gilles allow their physical play to fly under the radar—well, except for Howatt.