Rod Gilbert’s number 7 was hoisted to the rafters at the start of the 1979-80 NHL season. He suited up for 295 consecutive games, which ranks second in league history.The St. John’s, N.L., native was a workhorse for the franchise after being its first ever draft pick after the move from Montreal to P.E.I. He was an offensive weapon who beat teams in many ways. The coaches trusted him in all situations.He holds 26 franchise records, including all-time points (341), goals (139) assists (202).Nearly a point per game and about 100 penalty minutes for three seasons.The last captain of the Rocket really shone as an overager.Commenting is not available for this article.Big right-winger from Charlottetown played 2 ½ seasons in hometown with 196 points in 168 gamesOf those 355 players, one has had his jersey retired, but we suspect more will happen in the coming years. He would score 10 goals and 10 assists for 20 points in 18 games. That same season, Goring would represent the Islanders at the 1980 All-Star Game.The New York Islanders are proud to announce that four-time Stanley Cup Champions, John Tonelli and Robert "Butch" Goring, each will have their number retired by the organization.NewYorkIslanders.com is the official Web site of the New York Islanders Hockey Club, L.P. and NewYorkIslanders.com are trademarks of New York Islanders Hockey Club, L.P. NHL, the NHL Shield, the word mark and image of the Stanley Cup and NHL Conference logos are registered trademarks of the National Hockey League. Recently, owners Scott Malkin and Jon Ledecky have made a concerted effort to bring “The Original JT” back due to the love the fanbase still has for the guy.Goring actually wore No. "I'm extremely honored to have my number retired by the New York Islanders," Goring said. I only saw him play in his final season, but others have told me he quietly was effective. A guy means a lot to a team and a few years later, they take his number out of circulation. Some of the greatest accomplishments of my career happened with this fanbase and I can't wait to share this night with them as well." The following season, he made his NHL debut with the club. He held the record for most minutes played by a goalie in the league until earlier this year when Welsh surpassed him.Some people have a hard time quantifying the importance of leadership. 5 Denis Potvin, D, 1973–88, number retired February 1, 1992. 22 was retired on Feb. 8, 2009. He gave them confidence. He changed to 91 the next season, the inverse of the 19 he wore for the Kings (and that Bryan Trottier already had a firm hold of on Long Island). He was competitive.Lali, as he was known to some, played all five seasons with the franchise, the first in Montreal.Bonneau was a 10th-round pick of the Rocket in 2002. Rocket players is added in the near future.Two-way forward is 21st all time on the franchise’s points list, but his value went deeper than what showed up on the scoresheet.The Charlottetown native had a productive career with 204 points in 206 games.Note – Some teams have folded through the years and their jerseys are not represented in this list. They were Islanders, who played for one another, whether they had superstars or not.Remember, Sidney Crosby’s jersey was just retired by the Rimouski Oceanic in September.Sprong was electric. With that in mind, I give you a few possibilities of who might be on the Islanders’ list in its secret vault where all the important documents are kept.
You notice it when you have it, you notice it even more when you don’t. Joseph had a presence about him, one that brought players together. But I’d be lying if I didn’t say that hearing his voice is like sharing season tickets with a chill, Islanders fan uncle, and I’ll bet many of you feel the same.Normally, number retirements are simple. This is not a drill. 11 for the franchise since Sprong’s final contest – Game 5 of the 2017 semifinal with the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada.Some suggested he turn pro after his 19-year-old season, but fortunately he didn't. Currie, Duffy and Matej Beran formed a great line for the Rocket in 2012-13.Especially important in this league, he was bilingual.