We’re back again for part two of the best New York Islanders by jersey number series. Part one featured two of the best players to ever play on Long Island. Along with a lot of key members from their 1980-83 dynasty, where they won four straight Stanley Cups.
This part will feature more players from the cup years and some from current times. What they all have in common though, is the mark they left on the New York Islanders franchise.
Best Islanders by the jersey number: 11-20
#11- Wayne Merrick
One of the key members from the Stanley Cup years that was mentioned in the introduction, Merrick was apart of the team for all four cups and played a role in helping secure them. He scored the Cup-clinching goal in Game Five of the 1981 Stanley Cup Finals. The Islanders were in need of grit when he was acquired from the Cleveland Barons in exchange for J.P. Parise and Jean Potvin during the 1977-78 season. He went on to play the last seven seasons of his career with the Islanders. Merrick played 411 games scoring 197 points (81 goals 116 assists).
Honourable mention: Randy Wood: (Left wing) 7 seasons 381 games 172 points (94 goals 78 assists)
#12- Josh Bailey
Now a lot of fans have mixed feelings about Josh, some love him and some hate him. He didn’t quite live up to the billing of the ninth overall pick from the 2008 NHL Draft and that caused a lot of hate to come his way. However, he was a good enough player to stick around as a member of the team for 15 years. On October 28, 2022, Bailey played his 1,000th NHL game. He became only the third player from the Islanders to play all 1,000 games with the team and is fourth all time on the Islanders all time assists leaders. Bailey even had the fans sing his own battle cry to “Hey Baby” by Anton and DJ Otzi, replacing the baby with Bailey after each of his goals. In the 1,057 games he had 580 points (184 goals and 396 assists).
Honourable mention: Duane Sutter: ( Right wing) 8 seasons 547 games 292 points (121 goals 171 assists)
#13- Mathew Barzal
There are a short list of players to have worn this number but there is one obvious choice. Ever since the former 16th overall pick from the 2015 NHL Draft has come up to the league, he has lit it up. He quickly became the fans favorite player winning the the Calder Memorial Trophy, awarded to the best rookie in the NHL. Then John Tavares left for Toronto the Islanders became Barzal’s team. In his eight seasons and counting as an Islander he has played 500 games and scored 442 points (128 goals 314 assists). He hasn’t looked back since taking the reigns and if he continues on this pace with the team number 13 will be hanging in the rafters with the rest of the greats.
Honourable mention: Claude Lapointe (Left wing) 7 seasons 535 games 171 points (76 goals 95 assists)
#14- Bob Bourne
Another four-time Stanley Cup champion with the Islanders. He’s in the next tier of dynasty-era greats behind the big guys that the fans all remember. Bourne led the Islanders in playoff scoring in route to their fourth Stanley Cup in 1983. In addition, he recorded at least 30 goals three times and between twenty and thirty goals three others. He could be in future discussions for jersey retirement as played 12 seasons with the team and ranks top 10 in goals, points and games in franchise history, of course he also has the four cups to his name. In those 12 seasons he played 814 games scoring 542 points (238 goals 304 assists).
Honourable mention: Thomas Hickey (Defensemen) 9 seasons 456 games 117 points (22 goals 95 assists)
#15- Billy Harris
Harris kicked off the Islanders franchise as the teams first ever draftee when he was selected first overall in the 1972 NHL Amateur Draft. He had some great individual success for a team trying to find its footing in the league. Harris is better known by fans as the give away in a trade with the Los Angeles Kings for Butch Goring, which helped set up the Islanders cup dynasty teams. His time with the team should not be overlooked as he provided consistent scoring throughout the 70s, scoring 20 goals in six straight seasons. In his 8 seasons with the team he played in 623 games scoring 443 points (184 goals 259 assists).
Honourable mention: Cal Clutterbuck (right wing) 11 seasons 718 games 183 points (81 goals 102 assists)
#16- Pat Lafontaine
Lafontaine is a player that missed out on the dynasty-era as he came up with the Islanders as that era was ending. The former third overall pick in the 1983 NHL Draft was apart of the team that lost to the Edmonton Oilers going for the fifth Stanley Cup in a row. Known as one of the two or three most talented Islanders in the post-dynasty era. He was inducted into the NHL Hall of Fame in 2003 and appeared on the 2017-18 NHL’s 100 greatest players list. He sits tied for fifth on the Islanders all time goal scoring list and eighth all time in points. In his eight seasons with the team he played in 530 games scoring 566 points (287 goals 279 assists).
Honourable mention: Žigmund Pálffy (right wing) 6 seasons 331 games 331 points (168 goals 163 assists)
#17- Matt Martin
A total of 25 players have worn this number, which is the most of any number in team history. Martin gets the nod based on longevity with the team along with being a fan favorite. He sits seventh all time in games played for the Islanders with 823. During the 2015-16 season he played on what many considered the best fourth line in hockey featuring himself, Casey Cizikas and Cal Clutterbuck. In addition to leading the NHL in hits during the 2014-15 season. In his 13 seasons and 823 games with the team Martin has scored 155 points (73 goals 82 assists). This may have been Martins last season on the Island as he is a free agent. If it was his impact on the team and its fans won’t be forgotten.
Honourable mention: Shawn Bates (centre) 6 seasons 330 games 170 points (58 goals 112 assists)
#18- Ed Westfall
The first ever captain of the Islanders when he came over from the Boston Bruins during the 1972 Expansion Draft. He held the captaincy for the next four seasons before giving it to Clark Gillies. Westfall scored the first goal in franchise history in the first game against the Atlanta Flames on October 7, 1972. He was also the first player to represent the Islanders in an NHL All-Star Game in 1973. In seven seasons with the Islanders, he played in 493 games scoring 286 points (105 goals 181 assists).
Honourable mention: Anthony Beauvillier (left wing) 7 seasons 457 games 209 points (102 goals 107 assists)
#19- Bryan Trottier
A no-brainer here, the Hall of Famer was one of the core members of the dynasty teams. Nobody ever wore his number 19 after him, as it hangs in the rafters of UBS today. Coming into the league he set an NHL record with 95 points and won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL’s rookie of the year in 1975–76. He had his best season in 1978-79 when he won the Hart Memorial Trophy for league MVP and Art Ross for the leagues top goal scorer.
He followed that up by winning four Stanley Cups with the team. Winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in their first cup run in 1980. He centered the “trio grande” line with him, Clark Gillies and Mike Bossy. He sits at the very top in all time games played, assists and points for the Islanders while being second in goals behind only Bossy. In his 15 seasons with the team he played in 1123 games scoring 1353 points (500 goals 853 assists).
#20- Ray Ferraro
Yes, Ferraro as in the broadcaster, the options for the number 20 aren’t very strong. Ferraro gets the nod here based on his memorable Stanley Cup playoff run with the Islanders in 1993. He scored two overtime goals in their first round win against the Washington Capitals. This was followed up by the Islanders knocking off the defending champion Pittsburgh Penguins in the next round. Ferraro assisted David Volek on the game and series winning goal in overtime of Game 7 of the second round upset of the Penguins. The Islanders went on to lose in the conference finals to the Montreal Canadians. Ferraro finished that incredible playoff run with the team leading totals with 13 goals and 20 points. In his 5 seasons with the Islanders he played in 316 games scoring 238 points (116 goals 122 assists).
Honourable mention: Evgeni Nabokov (goalie) 3 seasons 57-43 .910 save percentage 2.59 goals against average.
In conclusion
In the 11-20 range you will find franchise changing players both past and present. Players who helped bring the team to the top of the mountain as champions back in the 80s. Along with some players who were great in their own right, they just didn’t get to win it all playing in the tough times in the 70s and 2000s. In addition to probably the best player currently on the team who hopes to bring the team back to where it belongs. To forever enshrine his name in Islanders history next to the greats.
Main photo by: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports
