Mike Bossy

Michael Dean " Mike" Bossy ( born January 22, 1957 in Montreal, Quebec ) is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player who played from 1977 to 1987 for the New York Islanders in the National Hockey League.

• 3.1 International

Career

As a teenager, he played in the QMJHL with the Laval National. In the NHL Amateur Draft 1977, he was selected in the first round at position 15 of the New York Islanders, although the scouts were skeptical about his defensive abilities. Head coach Al Arbour replied that he needed a goalscorer and Bossy could work on his defensive play. The Islanders right winger played mostly together with Clark Gillies and Bryan Trottier in a row. He was one of the best scorers in the history of the NHL. Already in his rookie season, he scored 53 goals, the Calder Memorial Trophy as the best rookie won and was elected to the second all-star team in the NHL. He is the only player in the NHL, who scored in nine consecutive seasons of 50 or more goals. Alone Wayne Gretzky is considered one of the best hockey players of all time, also scored nine times in 50 or more goals. Bossy and Gretzky are the only players who were five to 60 or more goals in a season. Particularly noteworthy is the fact that after ten Bossy seasons in the NHL, of which he already was no longer able to complete the last one, had to end his career due to injury, but Gretzky played twice as many years.

By the early career end, it came not to the deterioration of the statistics, which is normally observed at players who have far exceeded the 30 at Bossy. His goals - per - game average is 76.2 % in the regular season and 65.9 % in the play-offs. This makes it statistically in the play- offs the top scorer of all time and is second in the regular season only by Mario Lemieux (regular season 75,41 %, play-offs, 71.0 %). In the 1980/81 season he scored 50 goals in 50 games, which up to that Maurice Richard, was only 36 years earlier, succeeded.

Bossy was famous for scoring goals from impossible situations, such as when he poked the puck into the goal in the traps after a check, parallel to the ice in the air lying. Exemplary were also his playing style and his appearance. In a time when there were fist fights and tough game on the ice much more than today, he came out with very few penalty minutes and never took part in fights. Caused a stir Bossy when he declared publicly that he would not engage in any battles on the ice. For his exemplary behavior, he received three times the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy (1983, 1984 and 1986). He also won the Conn Smythe Trophy in 1982 as the best player during the playoffs.

He reached with the Islanders five times in succession, the Stanley Cup Final (1980 to 1984) and was able to win the title four times (1980 to 1983). In those five playoff rounds he scored 69 goals; Wayne Gretzky, who also reached the finals five times with the Oilers, scored 59 goals in these playoffs only.

Bossy was five times voted as the best right winger in the first All -Star team, which succeeded feat only three other right- wing, who had played all of them much longer: Gordie Howe (26 years), Maurice Richard (18 years), and Guy Lafleur ( 17 years).

Career Stats

Internationally

Represented Canada at:

• Canada Cup 1981
• Canada Cup 1984

Represented the National Hockey League at:

• Challenge Cup 1979

( Key to Career statistics: Sp or GP = Games Played, T or G = goals scored, V or A = achieved assists; Pts or Pts = scored points scorer, SM or PIM = received penalty minutes, / - = Plus / Minus balance sheet; PP = scored majority gates; SH = scored shorthanded goals, GW = achieved victory gates; Play-downs/Relegation 1 )

Awards and achievements

Internationally

Records

• 9 seasons with 50 or more goals. Together with Wayne Gretzky.
• 9 consecutive seasons with 50 or more goals ( 1977/78 to 1985/ 86).
• 5 seasons with 60 or more goals. Together with Wayne Gretzky.
• 9 powerplay goals in a playoff season ( 1981) together with Cam Neely.
• 4 Victory goals in a play-off series (1983 against the Bruins ).