DALLAS, TX.- The list of Mike Bossys accomplisments during his career with the New York Islanders is so extensive that would be wrong to call him anything other than The Boss of Long Island.
The former New York Islanders right wing was a four-time Stanley Cup champion in his 10-year career, during which he stockpiled some of the most prized individual hardware in hockey, including the Conn Smythe Trophy (awarded to the most valuable player in the NHL playoffs), the Calder Memorial Trophy (NHLs top first-year player), the Lady Byng Trophy (for sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct along with a high standard of playing ability) three times and the Maurice Rocket Richard Trophy (for the leagues leader in goals scored) twice. He is one of just two players in NHL history to score the Stanley Cup-clinching goal in consecutive seasons (in 1982 and 1983). His 573 goals scored (a total that ranks No. 22 ... 22ndin NHL history) in 752 games played gave him a career average of 0.762 per game tops in NHL history; his 1.497 points per game rank third in the leagues 106-year history.
Now collectors of Islanders memorabilia and hockey treasures can take their shots at 144 lots from the Mike Bossy Collection in
Heritages Winter Platinum Night Sports Auction February 24-25.
Mike Bossy is one of the elite offensive players in the history of the National Hockey League, and this collection is the finest hockey collection we have ever offered at Heritage Auctions, says Chris Ivy, Director of Sports Auctions at Heritage. Arguably the greatest player on a team full of Hall of Famers that put together the leagues last true dynasty, Mike Bossy assembled an extraordinary collection of everything from his championship rings to game-used jerseys, pucks, sticks, trophies and more. This is an incredible trove of items, packed with history and memories from one of the greatest players in one of the greatest eras in the history of the sport.
In 1991, Bossy became one of 10 Islanders legends elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame, a list that includes former head coach Al Arbour, center Bryan Trottier, forward Clark Gillies, goaltender Billy Smith, defenseman Denis Potvin, head coach Al Arbour and Bill Torrey the general manager who drafted Bossy 15th overall in the NHLs 1977 Amateur Draft. The timing was right for us, Torrey said of drafting Bossy. We had built a pretty solid defensive team, we had built a team that was strong up front from a size standpoint, but we did lack someone that could put the puck in the net on a consistent basis. Each is a legend in his own right, but make no mistake, it was Bossy who caused sleepless nights for opposing goalies and coaching staffs of teams gearing up to face the Isles.
Mike had accuracy, he had power, he had quickness, says Trottier. It was a joy to play with him. Mike was completely underrated and the best pure goal-scorer ever. He played the game the right way. We revered him for his goal-scoring but we also revered him for the person he was. We pushed and pulled each other every night and we cared about each other, we loved each other.
Among the top attractions in the collection is a pair of Bossys Stanley Cup championship rings: his 1980 ring celebrated the first of the Islanders four consecutive titles, won when Bossy led all scorers with 11 points in the series that New York won, 4-2, over the Philadelphia Flyers. A year later, Bossy received his 1981 Finals ring after the Islanders rolled through the Minnesota North Stars, 4-1, to cap off an overpowering postseason in which they won 15 of 17 games.
If those rings arent enough, the auction also includes Bossys 1991 Hockey Hall of Fame Induction Ring, and an argument can be made that it is the most important of Bossys rings. At the time he received it, Bossy had reached 500 career goals more quickly than any player in league history (although Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lamieux later would surpass his pace).
Bossys 1983-84 Game-Worn & Signed New York Islanders Jersey is photo-matched to the season which the Islanders pursued, unsuccessfully, a fifth consecutive Stanley Cup. The season in which Bossy wore this jersey was right in the middle of his prime, when he became and remains to this day the only player to score 50 or more goals in each of his first nine NHL seasons. Bossy potted 51 goals in 1983-84, earning him first-team All-Star honors and finishing sixth in the MVP voting.
Bossy is the leading goal scorer in Islanders history, and his 1,126 career points trail only Trottiers 1,353, making him among the most popular players in the history of the franchise with more than its share of hockey legends. But he also is revered by fans in his hometown of Montreal, where he was a hometown hero, returning after his playing career to co-host a television show.
His 1981 Canada Cup Jersey during a tournament in which the Canadians rolled out arguably the most talented Cup team of all time, with Bossy joined on the ice by the likes of Trottier, Guy Lafleur and Wayne Gretzky. The jersey appears to be photo-matched to a Canada Cup game at the Montreal Forum, and is signed on the back by the legendary sniper. This extraordinary event also includes a 1981 Canada Cup jersey he wore in practice.
For all of Bossys individual accomplishments and accolades and they are numerous his greatest might be his teams run of utter dominance over the rest of the league, a stretch during which the Islanders won the Stanley Cup four consecutive times, from 1980-83. Offered here are a pair of personal model Stanley Cup trophies given to Bossy to commemorate each title: one from the 1979-80 season and another celebrating the teams 1980-81 championship.
Any collector celebrating Bossys greatness will be fascinated by No. 22s sticks that are waiting to find new homes. Among them is the 1977-78 Game-Used Rookie Stick he used to score the 50th goal of his young career. He kept few sticks from his career, but he kept this milestone twig, and signed the blade and added 50th 1978 vs. Washington in black felt-tip marker. The side of the stick also has the words Game Used 1978 50th Goal vs. Washington.
The stick helped justify Bossys ample confidence in himself. When negotiating his first NHL contract with the Islanders, his agent suggested Bossy tell the team he was going to score 50 goals. Torrey said, in an NHL Network interview celebrating Bossys legacy, that Bossy turned to me and said what is a 50-goal scorer worth to you? And I said are you telling me youre going to score 50? Bossy smiled while responding. He sort of looked at me, Bossy said, and said, maybe you should make the team first, before you say youre going to score 50 goals. Of course, Bossy did make the team and backed up his confidence by tallying 53 goals in 73 games during his debut season.
Also available are a 1981-82 Game-Used and Signed Stick that he used during the heart of the Islanders run of four consecutive Stanley Cups and a red Titan Turbo Game-Used and Signed Stick from the 1986-87 season.
Other fascinating items from the Mike Bossy Collection include, but are not limited to:
The puck used to score his first NHL goal in 1977
Bossys signed 1984-89 Canadian passport
His 1991 Hockey Hall of Fame blazer