Mike Bossy, four-time Stanley Cup champion with New York Islanders, dies at 65

Mike Bossy, one of hockey's most prolific goal scorers and a star for the New York Islanders during their 1980s dynasty, has died. He was 65 years old.

Bossy worked as a hockey analyst for TVA Sports in Canada. Bossy was in Montreal, according to a team spokesman.

In a letter to TVA Sports, Bossy said that he had been diagnosed with lung cancer.

Bossy wrote in French that he needed to step away from his screens for a necessary pause.

The Islanders have lost three times this year, the most recent in March when Jean Potvin died.

The New York Islanders organization mourns the loss of Mike Bossy, an icon not only on Long Island but the entire hockey world. Along with his teammates, he helped win four straight Stanley Cup titles.

The New York Islanders are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of the greatest pure goal scorer, four-time Stanley Cup Champion and Hockey Hall of Fame member, Mike Bossy. https://t.co/hbyozJ4BUS

— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) April 15, 2022

The daughter said her father was no longer in pain.

She said in a statement in French that her dad loved hockey, but first and foremost he loved life. He wanted to live a lot more.

The Islanders won the Stanley Cup from 1980 to 1983, and Bossy was the playoffs' most valuable player. He scored two Cup-winning goals.

The National Hockey League mourns the passing of Mike Bossy, the dynamic winger whose goal- scoring prowess during a remarkable 10-year career ranks, by almost any measure, as one of the greatest in NHL history and propelled the New York Islanders to four straight Stanley Cups. Bossy was unstoppable and his production was relentless throughout his entire career despite being contained by opposing coaches. He was very popular with fans like few others.

Bossy played his entire 10-year NHL career with New York. He was the league leader in goals twice and won the Lady Byng Trophy for gentlemanly conduct three times.

Bossy scored 50 or more goals in each of his first nine seasons. He is the only player in hockey history to score 50 goals in nine seasons.

Bossy is the only player to score 50 goals in 50 games, and he is the leader in goals per game in the regular season at 0.762.

He is third in points per game and seventh in career scoring. Bossy put up some of the best numbers in the history of the game during the regular season. Bossy was more clutch in the playoffs. He scored three overtime goals in the playoffs and was the only player with four game winners.

The Islanders were the NHL's next dynasty after the 1970s Montreal Canadiens, and they were led by Bossy, Gillies, Bryan Trottier and Denis Potvin.

In 752 regular-season games, Bossy had 573 goals and 553 assists for 1,126 points. He was the fastest player to reach the 100 goal mark and is 22nd on the career goals list. In the playoffs, Bossy had 160 points.

His career ended in 1987 due to injuries. He was limited to 38 goals in 63 games and couldn't return for an 11th season.

Bossy was one of the NHL's 100 greatest players and was named to the Hall of Fame in 1991. The number 22 was retired by the Islanders.

Bossy played five seasons in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League with the Laval National. He had over 500 points in the QMJHL. Hockey players began going to the Winter Olympics before Bossy represented Canada at the Canada Cup in 1981 and 1984.

The report was contributed to by the Associated Press.