Islanders Great Passes Away (Clark “Jethro” Gillies)

New York Islanders Great Passes Away at age 67.

Clark Gillies was a professional hockey player in the NHL, he played 14 seasons in the league with the New York Islanders and Buffalo Sabres from 1974-88. He was a key member of the Dynasty Islanders that won four consecutive Stanley Cups during the early eighties, he was also a part of the 19 consecutive playoff series wins during that time. He was captain of the Islanders from 1977 to 1979. In 2002 Gillies was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Gillies was born in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada on April 7, 1954. He started to play hockey casually at age six and by the following year, he had joined a local team. As a youth Gillies was big and he used his size to his advantage during fights with opposing players.

Gillies was a multi-talented athlete. In 1970 at the age of 16, he signed with the Houston Astros of MLB, playing three years in their farm system. In the offseason, he continued to play hockey. He joined the Regina Pats in 1971 and played for them for three seasons before winning the Memorial Cup in his final season with them in 1974.

NHL

Gillies was drafted 4th overall by the New York Islanders in 1974, Ironically he was selected that same year by the WHA’s Edmonton Oilers as the 37th overall pick. Those same Oilers would later merge with the NHL in 1979 and would become a chief rival of the Islanders, eventually ending their “Drive for Five” and establishing themselves as the Leagues new dynasty, taking over from the Islanders.

Right out of the gate Gillies embraced his role as an enforcer and began to make a name for himself, taking on the league’s heavyweights, having beaten Flyers bully Dave Schultz and taking on Boston Bruins tough guy Terry O’Reilly.

Clark Gillies and Islanders teammate Bob Bourne first met each other when they were 15-year-olds, since that time it’s as if they have been joined by fate, sharing many life events with each other.

They both signed and played in the Houston Astros minor league system. They both won four Stanley Cups together and were both part of the record-setting 19 consecutive playoff series wins. They lived next door to each other for 10 years while on Long Island. Gillies had three daughters one of which married Bob Bourne’s son Justin. During the 1980 playoff drive, Gillies scored a goal in game 1 of overtime to defeat the Boston Bruins, in Game 2 Bob Bourne scored the overtime goal to win game 2. It seemed that these two shared a special bond in life that transcended hockey.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

		Regular season		Playoffs
Season	Team	League	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1971–72	Regina Pats	WCHL	68	31	48	79	199	15	5	10	15	49
1972–73	Regina Pats	WCHL	68	40	52	92	192	4	0	3	3	34
1973–74	Regina Pats	WCHL	65	46	66	112	179	16	9	8	17	32
1973–74	Regina Pats	M-Cup	—	—	—	—	—	3	1	3	4	19
1974–75	New York Islanders	NHL	80	25	22	47	66	17	4	2	6	36
1975–76	New York Islanders	NHL	80	34	27	61	96	13	2	4	6	16
1976–77	New York Islanders	NHL	70	33	22	55	93	12	4	4	8	15
1977–78	New York Islanders	NHL	80	35	50	85	76	7	2	0	2	15
1978–79	New York Islanders	NHL	75	35	56	91	68	10	1	2	3	11
1979–80	New York Islanders	NHL	73	19	35	54	49	21	6	10	16	63
1980–81	New York Islanders	NHL	80	33	45	78	99	18	6	9	15	28
1981–82	New York Islanders	NHL	79	38	39	77	75	19	8	6	14	34
1982–83	New York Islanders	NHL	70	21	20	41	76	8	0	2	2	10
1983–84	New York Islanders	NHL	76	12	16	28	65	21	12	7	19	19
1984–85	New York Islanders	NHL	54	15	17	32	73	10	1	0	1	9
1985–86	New York Islanders	NHL	55	4	10	14	55	3	1	0	1	6
1986–87	Buffalo Sabres	NHL	61	10	17	27	81	—	—	—	—	—
1987–88	Buffalo Sabres	NHL	25	5	2	7	51	5	0	1	1	25
NHL totals	958	319	378	697	1,023	164	47	47	94	287

Personal

International

Year	Team	Event		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1981	Canada	CC	7	2	5	7	8
Senior totals	7	2	5	7	8

Awards

• WCHL All-Star Team – 1974
• Stanley Cup champion – 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983

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