NHL Stanley Cup: Clark Gillies and Bobby Nystrom weigh upon the ingredients behind New York Islanders’ Stanley Cup Dynasty
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Clark Gillies and Bobby Nystorm
The New York Islanders are an acquired taste, a slow burn, a subtle team! Since the inception of the NHL’s modern era, they have beaten their opponents with sound defensive play and worker-bee offense. This resulted in the team clinching four consecutive NHL Stanley Cup Titles from 1980 to 1984, courtesy to veterans Clark Gillies and Bobby Nystrom.
Prior to being teammates for the New York Islanders, Gillies and Nystrom were long-term friends which saw the rise of their team by bring a part of their core group of players. One thing is known in NHL, a team has to be built with utter patience and confidence and who better than Clark Gillies and Bobby Nystrom to discuss upon the ingredients of making a dynasty to lift the NHL Stanley Cup.
New York Islanders’ marquee Clark Gillies and Bobby Nystrom discuss upon how to win the NHL Stanley Cup
Gillies and Nystrom believed in the New York Islanders’ process since the early days and had been a part of the core five seasons before the team went onto stamp their authority on the court of play. Other marquee players like Bryan Trottier, Denis Potvin, and Billy Smith had been there for at least four seasons. Whereas Mike Bossy, the team’s leading goal scorer was there for three seasons.
In a recent interview with Betway, Gillies and Nystrom were asked upon the time when they started believing in their team? To which Nystrom stated, “We had a couple of teams in 1978 and 1979 that we really thought we were right there at that point. I would have to say when we got [Miracle on Ice defenseman] Kenny Morrow and [trade acquisition] Butch Gohring, I think that really solidified our team. At that point, I thought we could have a run at it.”
Clark Gillies added, “I agree with Bob. One of the things we were missing in ’78 and ’79 was that physicality. Facing the Bruins in the second round in 1980, that’s when we really woke up. Everyone was picking the Bruins to outmuscle us and intimidate us. I think we showed them in a big way that we weren’t going to be pushed around in 1980.”
NHL Stanley Cup: Clark Gillies and Bobby Nystrom discuss the important factor to clinch the Stanley Cup Glory
Both Gillies and Nystrom went onto to discuss how important it is for the players in the team to like one another and stand up for each other in order to go the distance. They stated how the early 80s Islanders’ team was more like brothers than just teammates.
When asked about what made them stick together to clinch more Stanley Cup success? Gillies and Nystrom stressed upon by stating, “We were still a very young team and the personnel had not changed from the first year. So we were still all very hungry. We knew we had another shot. That was great, let’s do it again! That was the feeling amongst everybody. We were a very good hockey team and we had every right to repeat. Let’s go out there and do it again.”
Nystrom added, “When you really come right down to it, it’s such an education. Once you experience what you go through in all of those series, all of a sudden you’re not shaking. Al would always say: “Don’t be afraid to lose, the sun will come up in the morning.”
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The duo concluded by acknowledging their main ingredient which was their coach. Both Gillies and Nystrom detailed how Al Arbour made sure each player retains their own individuality and is treated differently. This often led to egos not clashing on to the court as well off it.
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Yakshpat Bhargava
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