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Best of Long Island Spotlight: Top NY Islanders

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NY Islanders captain John Tavares

Hockey season is back, bringing with it never-ending debates among local fans over who is the best member of the New York Islanders, who epitomizes the team’s grit and talent?

Press readers voted team captain John Tavares the Best Islander in the 2017 Best of Long Island contest. They also named Mike Bossy the Best Islander of All Time in that contest. 

Yep, the Islanders are still in Brooklyn. For local fans, the team’s move from Uniondale remains, perhaps forever so, a sore subject. Indeed, there’s no place like home—and for the Islanders, home is Long Island.

But there is good news, in the name of John Tavares. The 27-year-old continues to display remarkable poise, and an innate ability to find the back of the net or a teammate gliding toward the goal. Tavares, who amazingly is already in his ninth season with the team, has surpassed the 500-point mark for his career, with the majority coming on assists. The Ontario native remains the heartbeat of the team.

In 2016’s playoff run, Tavares displayed an appetite for performing in big moments, scoring six goals and collecting five assists in 11 games. Thanks to his leadership and prowess on the ice, Tavares remains LI’s pick as the Best Islander!

As for best Islander of all time, Mike Bossy is a living legend. The sharp-shooting Islander from the franchises’ glory days continues to outshine his brethren in this competition.

Let’s review his accomplishments: Bossy is a Hall of Famer who played a key role in helping the Islanders win four straight Stanley Cup Championships from 1973-1989. Over the course of 10 seasons with the Isles, Bossy was selected to seven All-Star games, accumulated more than 550 goals and assists, and he twice led the league in scoring, while also finishing top-five in game-winning goals six times during his career.

Wow. Bossy’s clutch trait earned him the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player in the 1981-82 Stanley Cup Playoffs. What a player!

To find all the other Best of Long Island contest winners, visit bestoflongisland.com Vote now through Dec. 15 for your favorite businesses and people in the 2018 Best of Long Island program.