Clark Gillies, 1954-2022

The standout uniform number in hockey is 9. It's been worn by all-time greats, and retired for them.

It's somewhat fitting that, for the New York Islanders, it's retired not for a superstar, but for the hardest-working player on their dynasty, now so far long ago, its players have begun to die, not from the excesses of youth or the tragedies of circumstance, but from the ravages of age.

Clark Gillies (no middle name) was born on April 7, 1954 in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. A left wing, he was always one of the biggest players in his youth games, which led opponents to start fights with him. He usually won, and enjoyed it.

But it wasn't yet clear that hockey was his best sport. Being Canadian, he was not bound by Major League Baseball's rules for American-born players. So, in 1970, only 16 years old, he signed with the Houston Astros. He played 3 years of minor-league ball, including platooning at 1st base with a future Islander teammate, Bob Bourne.

But he was homesick for Canada, and abandoned baseball for hockey. He led the Regina Pats to the Memorial Cup, the championship of Canadian junior hockey, in 1974. That led the Islanders to make him their 1st round selection in the NHL Draft, 4th overall.

In 1974-75, only their 3rd season of play, the Islanders made the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the 1st time. They came from 3 games to none down to eliminate the Pittsburgh Penguins, and almost did it again against the defending Champion Philadelphia Flyers, but couldn't finish the job in Game 7. Nevertheless, Gillies announced the Isles' presence on hockey's big stage by winning a fight against the most feared player in the sport, the Flyers' fight machine, Dave "The Hammer" Schultz.

The Isles named Gillies Captain in 1977, but he didn't enjoy the role, and the team fell frustratingly short in the Playoffs in 1978 and '79. He was happy to let Denis Potvin take the "C" for the 1979-80 season.

After the key acquisition of Butch Goring, the Isles were now, as a team, tough enough to stand alongside Gillies, who won a fight against Terry O'Reilly of Boston's "Big Bad Bruins" in the Playoffs. With Potvin and goaltender Billy Smith forging a great defense, and Mike Bossy and Bryan Trottier joining with Gillies to form a forward line known as the "Trio Grande," the Islanders won 4 straight Stanley Cups: 1980, 1981, 1982 and 1983.

The Isles made the Finals for a 5th straight year in 1984, but the Edmonton Oilers reversed the result of the 1983 Finals, ending one dynasty and starting another. After the 1985-86 season, Gillies was left unprotected in the NHL Waiver Draft, and was claimed by the Buffalo Sabres. He retired in 1988, with 319 career goals, 378 assists, and 1,023 penalty minutes. He was a fighter, but he was no mere "pest" or "goon."

He remained on Long Island, married to Pam, his high school girlfriend. His daughter Brianna married Justin Bourne, son of Bob. A nephew, Colton Gillies, played 5 seasons in the NHL.

He worked as a business consultant to a financial firm. The Clark Gillies Foundation was developed to help physically challenged children, and raised $1 million for the construction of the Huntington Hospital Pediatric Unit on Long Island, which was named for him.

The Islanders retired his Number 9 in 1996. He was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame, the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame, and the Suffolk Sports Hall of Fame. (Though the Islanders were based in Nassau County, he lived in Greenlawn, in adjoining Suffolk County.)

Clark Gillies died yesterday, January 21, 2022, at the age of 67. As of this writing, no cause has been publicly revealed.