Islanders History: Three of the Toughest Seasons Ever

3 of 3

MONTREAL – JUNE 26: Alternate Governor Bill Torrey and Assistant General Manager Randy Sexton of the Florida Panthers look on during the first round of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft at the Bell Centre on June 26, 2009 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

Looking back over the New York Islanders near 50-year history, what were the three toughest seasons to life through as an Islanders fan?

All New York Islanders fans know of the woeful times, the failed ownerships, and the arena uncertainty. Unfortunately, the on-ice Islander story wasn’t much better.

I’m guilty. These challenging times have brought out the pessimist in me. But the bad days provide all of us with a greater appreciation for the good days!

Let’s look at three of the most failure filled fan deflating Islander seasons in our history.

1972-1973

One might give a pass to a team’s first NHL season. Before the Vegas Knights, NHL expansion franchises rarely enjoyed a successful first year in the league.

However, it’s hard to discount the futility reflected with a .192 winning percentage (12-60-6; 30 points).

The 72′ Isles were in trouble well before the first puck dropped.

The expansion draft brought Gerry Hart, Billy Smith, Eddie Westfall, but little else.

The WHA was a formidable force at the time. The Islanders themselves were created to keep the WHA’s NY Raiders out of Nassau Coliseum. When Bill Torrey made expansion picks of veterans, Bart Crashley, Ted Hampson, and Norm Ferguson they (and more) immediately left the NHL for the WHA.

Billy Harris, Lorne Henning, Garry Howatt, and Bobby Nystrom were selected in the 1972 entry draft, and all played for the big club. The 20-year-old Harris lead the team in scoring (GP78-G28-A22-50).

Gordie Howe was offered the coaching position but declined.

Instead, Phil Goyette, (who never coached again), was fired mid-year and replaced by his former Ranger teammate Earl Ingarfeld.

Both won six games each.

The young Isles had a fan base of mostly Ranger fans that lived in Long Island.

The Coliseum was not yet home.

TORONTO, ON – DECEMBER 11: Head coach Al Arbour of the New York Islanders watches the play against the Toronto Maple Leafs during NHL game action on December 11, 1991 at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Graig Abel/Getty Images) /

1990-91

The start of a new decade also marked the end of any roster connection to the Islander dynasty. Brent Sutter, winner of three cups, would play his last full season with the Isles.

He captained a group led by Pat Lafontaine and not a whole lot of skill after that.

Maybe the toughest part of watching that 90-91 season was the carryover of realizing what had happened the year before.

In 1989-90 the Isles needed a March 31st victory over the Flyers and a Penguin loss to get into the playoffs. The upcoming entry draft had five ‘can’t miss,’ some claimed generational offensive talents.

If the Islanders made the playoffs, they would pick sixth.

The Isles beat Philly 6-2.

Fans in the barn held their breath as the Sabres and Pens OT period was broadcast immediately following the win. When Uwe Krupp scored in OT for Buffalo, the Coliseum crowd erupted…(until some realized the more massive opportunity lost).

The Rangers dominated the Isles in five games.

With the sixth pick, the Isles selected Scott Scissons.

With the fifth pick, the Pens got Jaromir Jagr.

The dark cloud that hung over the franchise for the better part of 20 years began with an OT goal from Uwe Krupp. That same player (Krupp) who would be part of a deal for Pat Lafontaine only a year later.

The 90-91 Isles showed promise but were mostly bad. (80-25-45-10 60 pts).

Ray Ferraro was acquired in-season for Doug Crossman. Derek King was very mistake-prone and had yet to emerge as the 40 goal scorer he would become. Joe Reekie brought some stability to a shaky D-core of Jeff Norton, Wayne McBean, Gary Nylund, Craig Ludwig, and Rich Pilon.

Nineteen-year-old Dave Chyzowski (the second overall pick in the 1989 draft) scored only five goals and would never see a regular NHL season again.

This team couldn’t do much, but man could they fight!

Ken ‘Bomber’ Baumgartner, Mick Vukota, Rich ‘Chief’ Pilon, Craig Ludwig, and even Gary Nylund were among the most feared guys in the league.

They just couldn’t win.

2000-2001

During these quarantined weeks, Islander fans have enjoyed reminiscing about the Shawn Bates penalty shot goal against the Leafs. That 2001-2002 team had 96 points and brought life back to the Coliseum.

However, that entertaining season came at a considerable cost.

The 2000-2001 version of the Isles was very different. A very young team with promise.

At 23, Zdeno Chara was entering his fourth season, and the skating issues that plagued him were becoming much less of a problem.

Kenny Johnsson and Roman Hamrlik were just 26.

The Isles three first-round picks from the 1999 draft (not surprisingly one of the weakest talent pools in NHL history) were the supremely skilled Tim Connolly, the huge Taylor Pyatt, and defensemen Branislav Mezei were all playing meaningful minutes at age 19.

However, other than Marius Czerkawski, this team had minimal scoring and skill up-front. Jason Blake was two years away from discovering his ability to finish. Brad Isbister could show flashes of brilliance and then disappear for weeks on end.

We all love Mark Parrish. But that season, he and Oleg Kvasha were a constant reminder of the future Hall of Famer Mike Milbury had jettisoned in the off-season; Roberto Luongo.

Goaltending was an issue for the 2000-01 squad from day one. Ex-Ranger, John Vanbiesbrouck, was asked to hold the mantle for first overall pick, Rick Dipietro. Dipietro appeared in 20 games in this, his rookie season; and he lost nearly all of them.

Milbury canned Butch Goring in March and assistant Lorne Henning finished the 21 win season.

It was a bleak period. But there was young talent, and Charles Wang had just bought the team.

Mad Mike, empowered by new ownership, earned his moniker once again.

And this was his best off-season as an Islander GM.

He traded Zdeno Chara, Bill Muckalt, and the number two pick in the 2001 entry draft (Jason Spezza) to the Senators for Alexei Yashin. Arguably his worst move as a GM and among the worst in NHL history. This was compounded as Wang/Milbury then signed Yashin to a ten-year contract.

But Milbury did poach head coach Peter Laviolette when he was passed over for the Bruins job.
Lavy brought in Providence free agent and Islander Legend, Shawn Bates.

Milbury moved Pyatt and Connolly to the Sabres for Michael Peca. He traded Matthieu Biron to Tampa for Adrian Aucoin. And realizing DiPietro was nowhere near ready, MM signed both Garth Snow and Chris Osgood.

The 2001-2002 Isles were built to win.

Want your voice heard? Join the Eyes On Isles team!

Write for us!

However, the Isles surrendered picks in each of the first three rounds of the 2001 draft. No Islander picks from that draft would ever play in the AHL much less than the NHL.

The 2002 team gave us some glory with a lot of lean sandwiched in between.

What were your toughest seasons as an Islander Fan? And what made you keep the faith?

Home / Editorials