FEBRUARY 2022 • LONGISLANDPRESS.COM 69
CLARK GILLIES
NY ISLANDERS LEGEND
National Hockey League Hall of Famer
and former New York Islander Clark Gillies,
who was part of the team’s dynasty
that led the Isles to four consecutive
Stanley Cup championships from 1980
through 1983, has died. He was 67.
Gillies, a legendary power forward,
racked up more than 1,000 penalty minutes
along with more than 300 goals and
nearly 400 assists during his career. He
spent his retirement dedicated to philanthropy
through his eponymous The
Clark Gillies Foundation, a Hauppaugebased
nonprofit he founded in 1998 to
aid physically, developmentally and/or
financially challenged children.
“The entire Islanders community is devastated
by the loss of Clark Gillies,” Islanders
President and General Manager
Lou Lamoriello said. “He epitomized
what it means to be a New York Islander.
The pride he felt wearing the Islanders
sweater on the ice was evident by his
willingness to do anything to win. Off
the ice, he was just as big of a presence,
always taking the time to give back to
the local community.”
A native of Moose Jaw, a city in southern
Saskatchewan, Canada, Gillies was selected
by the Islanders in the first round — 4th
overall — of the 1974 NHL Entry Draft. As
a member of the Islanders, Gillies played
in 872 games, 159 playoff games, and was
a member of the group that set the NHL
record of 19 straight playoff series wins —
a record that still stands today.
Gillies represented the Islanders at
the 1978 NHL All-Star Game and was
named to the NHL First All-Star Team
in 1978 and 1979. His number 9 was retired
on Dec. 7, 1996 and his banner now
hangs in UBS Arena. He was inducted
into the NHL Hall of Fame in 2002.
His foundation left a lasting impact on the
region. The Huntington Hospital Pediatric
Unit has been named for Gillies and
his foundation, which raised $1 million to
help fund the unit’s construction. The nonprofit
created Briana’s Cub room within the
unit and created The Clark Gillies Pediatric
Emergency Room, which is staffed and
equipped specifically for children.
-TB
OBITUARY
Clark Gillies at the New York Islanders Draft Party in 2012. (Photo by Bruce Adler)
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