If not for a back injury that forced him to retire at age 30, the deceased Mike Bossy may have been the greatest pure scorer the NHL has ever seen.
O New York IslandersThe 15th overall pick in 1977 scored 573 goals in 752 regular-season games, adding 85 goals in 129 playoff games, helping New York win four consecutive Stanley Cups (1980-83).
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Over his 10-year career, he had three 50-goal seasons, and his 21.2 shooting percentage was the fourth-best in NHL history.
But before winning the Cups, scoring 50 out of 50 in 1980-81, Bossy had to score his first.
So, let’s remember the legend’s first career in the NHL.
The date was October 13, 1977, the day of Bossy’s first NHL game, which was against the Buffalo Sabres.
Trailing 1-0 after Renee Robert scored a power play goal for Buffalo at 8:55 of the first period, Bossy tied the score just nine seconds later.
After Sabers goaltender Don Edwards handed the puck to the late Clark Gillies behind the net, the puck sailed past Bryan Trottier straight to Bossy, who buried the wickets.
Trottier went and got the puck in the net:
Here’s Mike Bossy’s first NHL goal in 1977 (against Don Edwards). What came next was the greatest pure goaltending career in NHL history. pic.twitter.com/fAkL7G4DtR
– Old Hockey Cards (@oldhockeycards) August 3, 2024
Bossy scored his second career goal against the Boston Bruins in his second career game before adding two assists in his third career game, which was against rival New York Rangers.
Four points in his first three career games should have alerted the league and probably did.
Finishing his rookie season with 53 goals and 38 assists for 91 points in 73 games, Bossy won the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie. He was voted to the All-Star team and placed fourth in the Lady Byng Trophy, scoring just three penalties.
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Over his 10-year career, Bossy was an eight-time All-Star, winning three Lady Bying Trophies (1982-83, 1983-84, 1985-86), and in 2017-18, he was included in the NHL’s Top 100 Players . list, with The Hockey News placing him 20th.
Bossy was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1991, with his number 22 going into the Nassau Coliseum rafters a year later.
Sadly, Bossy passed away on April 15, 2022, after a battle with lung cancer.
He was only 65 years old.
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