NY Islanders legends take a trading card stroll down memory lane at UBS Arena

New York Islanders legends Bob Nystrom, Bryan Trottier, Denis Potvin, and Josh Bailey recently took a nostalgic stroll along UBS Arena’s Trading Card Wall, swapping stories and laughs about their time on Long Island.

It wasn’t just about the cards, it was about the memories, the friendships, and the little moments that make being an Islander so special.

Potvin lit up talking about his older brother Jean returning to the team in 1979. “Bill Torrey felt that after losing in ’78 to Toronto, something was missing,” Potvin said. Bringing Jean back, along with Butch Goring, added veteran presence and helped set the tone for the dynasty run. “They really relaxed those of us who were kind of uptight,” he laughed.

Nystrom couldn’t resist a story about his linemate Garry Howatt — “one of the toughest guys you could ever meet” while Trottier reminisced about the ever-chatty Glenn 'Chico' Resch. "Fastest dresser I've ever seen," recalled Trottier about the former goaltender. "Prior to practice, he'd come in, say hello to the guys, go back out, and talk to all the fans until there was like six minutes to go. He'd get dressed, put all his equipment on, and be on the ice."

Bailey, the lone modern-era rep, shared his fondness for Johnny Boychuk. “I don’t have many pictures in my phone for contacts, but I had to put the one of Johnny on there… it usually brings a smile to my face. He’s certainly one that will be a friend for life.”

The walk down the wall wasn’t just nostalgia — it was a celebration of what makes this franchise unique: brotherhood. As Bailey put it best, “That’s the thing I really take away from everything… all these relationships and friendships.”

As they say, once an Islander, always an Islander.