Former Flyers rival reveals what made NY Islanders legend Clark Gillies so terrifying

For opponents, facing New York Islanders legend Clark Gillies wasn't frightening simply because of his toughness.

It was because he could beat you in just about every way imaginable.

Former Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Behn Wilson, who battled the Isles throughout one of the NHL's fiercest rivalries in the late 1970s and early 1980s, recently reflected on what made the Hockey Hall of Famer such a difficult matchup.

"I have an incredible amount of respect for him," Wilson said in an interview posted by Hockey Analysis on YouTube. "I played against him a lot, and he was always a fierce competitor."

Gillies earned a reputation as one of hockey's premier power forwards, combining size, physicality and offensive production while helping the Islanders capture four consecutive Stanley Cups.

Wilson said that combination is what separated Gillies from many of the league's other enforcers.

"If you're going to worry about him physically, he'll score on you," Wilson said.

Playing alongside Mike Bossy and Bryan Trottier on one of the NHL's greatest lines only made Gillies more dangerous. Opposing defensemen couldn't simply focus on matching his physicality because they also had to contend with two of the game's most gifted offensive players.

"Sometimes you've got a big tough guy that slows down the other guys," Wilson said. "But he could play right with them."

At 6-foot-3 and more than 200 pounds, Gillies possessed the size to intimidate opponents, but Wilson believes it was his skating ability that truly made him unique.

"He could skate, he'd hit," Wilson said. "He was big and strong and could skate."

And when contact came, you felt it. "It's not like he's standing there and if you run into him you're going to get hurt," Wilson said. "He's running into you."

The sentiments shared by Wilson are likely echoed by every former teammate and opponent that Gillies ever skated with and against. His presence was felt everywhere he went, and that trait continued into retirement and why he was so sincerely loved by all fans on Long Island.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Schedule