Clark Gillies

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Lore & Background

Gillies' legacy is inextricably linked to the four-peat run that cemented the Islanders' place in history. During the 1980 playoffs, Gillies got the best of Terry O'Reilly, one of the Boston Bruins' toughest players, several times, helping to fuel the Islanders' drive to the Stanley Cup. Gillies was used during this series as the Islanders' chief protector and enforcer, and in taking on this role, Gillies allowed his team to battle through a violent series with the Bruins. Gillies, now totally comfortable with his role with the team, flourished individually and collectively, as the Islanders won the Stanley Cup in four consecutive years, from 1980 to 1983, during Gillies' tenure. In 1978 and 1979 he led all left-wingers for most votes for the All-Star game, and was named to the NHL First All-Star Team as a left-winger at the conclusion of these two seasons. His jersey was retired by the Islanders in 1996 and he was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2002.

In Their Own Story

When Gillies, per tradition, got to have the Stanley Cup with him for 24 hours after the Islanders won it for the first time in 1980, he let his dog, a German Shepherd, eat from it. "Why not?" he responded to critics. "He's a good dog." Gillies' nickname, "Jethro", came from teammate Ed Westfall, based on the character Jethro Bodine in the TV series The Beverly Hillbillies. In 958 career games over 14 seasons, Gillies recorded 319 goals, 378 assists, and 1,023 penalty minutes. His role as an aggressive playmaker (power forward) was key for Trio Grande linemates Bossy and Trottier to thrive, as was his clutch scoring ability (44 game-winning goals).

Reader's Guide

Gillies was the fourth overall selection in the first round of the 1974 NHL Amateur Draft by the New York Islanders. It was during his rookie season of 1974–75, in the playoffs, that Gillies established himself as one of the toughest players in the NHL when beating up enforcer Dave Schultz. In the latter half of the 1976–77 season, Gillies was named team captain; however, in spite of Gillies' articulate speaking manner and amiable nature, he never felt completely comfortable as captain. During the pre-season of 1979–80 Gillies allowed Denis Potvin to take over as captain. Gillies scored over 30 goals for four straight seasons (starting in 1975–76) as part of the "Trio Grande", the Islanders' top forward line with Mike Bossy and Bryan Trottier, and again in 1980–81 and 1981–82. After scoring only four goals in 55 games in 1985–86, Gillies was left unprotected in the NHL waiver draft, and was claimed by the Buffalo Sabres. On December 7, 1996, Gillies' No. 9 was retired by the Islanders.

Did You Know?

• Gillies' first professional sports experience was in baseball; in 1970, at 16, he signed with the Houston Astros and played three years of minor league baseball in Covington, Virginia.
• Gillies famously joked that his hometown of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, is located "Six feet from the moose's ass."
• Gillies' son-in-law, Justin Bourne, is the son of his former teammate Bob Bourne, with whom Gillies platooned at first base in minor league baseball in 1972.
• Gillies died of pancreatic cancer at his residence in Greenlawn on January 21, 2022, at the age of 67.
• Gillies formed a foundation dedicated to helping "physically, mentally, or financially challenged" children, which raised over $3 million in donations, including helping to finance construction of the pediatric unit at Huntington Hospital, named in his honor.