The Islanders announced on Friday night that legendary forward Clark Gillies has died at age 67.
“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. The New York Islanders have four Stanley Cups because of the sacrifices he and the members of those dynasty teams made for the franchise. On behalf of the entire organization, we send our deepest condolences to the entire Gillies family.”
Gillies was drafted by the Islanders in 1974 and made his debut with the team in the 1974-75 season, instantly becoming a staple of the franchise. He played in 872 games (fifth all-time in franchise history), scoring 304 goals (fourth all-time in franchise history) and totaling 663 points (fourth all-time in franchise history).
Gillies also played in 159 playoff games with the team, totaling 93 points while helping the Islanders win four straight Stanley Cups from 1980-1983.
After his playing days, Gillies had his No. 9 retired by the team in 1996 and was inducted into the NHL Hall of Fame in 2002.