New York Islanders Tickets

Though the NHL already had a major presence in New York with the Rangers, the league worried about competition with the WHA and wanted to block its rival league from moving into the newly-built Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. The NHL quickly granted the city an expansion team in the early 70s, and the New York Islanders played their first game in 1972.

The Isles finished in last place after their first season and had the first pick in the 1973 draft. Though they received many trade offers, the team refused to trade its #1 pick and used it to draft defenseman Denis Potvin. Potvin—a future hall of famer—played his whole career with the Islanders and was the captain of the Islanders’ championship teams.

Over the next few years, the Islanders started to build a roster that would become a dynasty. They drafted Bryan Trottier in 1974. In 1977, they drafted Mike Bossy. Bossy scored at least 50 goals in 9 straight seasons and is one of just a handful of NHL players who have scored 50 goals in 50 games.

In 1980, the Islanders defeated the Philadelphia Flyers in the Stanley Cup Final and won their first Stanley Cup. And the Islanders weren’t going to give up the Cup any time soon: they won the Stanley Cup in four consecutive seasons.