As John Tonelli and Butch Goring celebrated having their numbers raised to the rafters of Nassau Coliseum, some Islanders fans began to raise the question of who would be the next Islander to see their names immortalized in the Islanders Hall of Fame or potentially see their numbers retired. Some fans look to the past and consider Pat LaFontaine’s number 16 to be the next to be raised. Others may look to the present and consider the potential of the great players of today such as Mat Barzal or Anders Lee. However, one player has been making a case for such an honor over the past few seasons, and that player is Josh Bailey.

Bailey has been a member of the Islanders organization since 2008 when he was drafted ninth overall in the NHL Entry Draft. From there he would get called up in the following season and play the first of now 12 seasons with the club.

Throughout his career Bailey has become a bit of a cult hero to most of the Islanders fanbase. It is true he can have his very frustrating moments with his pass first style of play and sometimes lack of physicality, heck Islanders fans sing the tune of “Hey, Josh Bailey” whenever he steps on the ice or lights the lamp considering his lack of shots. However, he does have a tendency to make the big play or score the timely goal when needed. Some of his most recent memorable moments include his overtime winner in game 1 of Round 1 of the 2019 postseason against the Penguins, his through the legs goal against the San Jose Sharks in 2017 and a highlight reel overtime winner against the Anaheim Ducks in the team’s first home game of the 2016-17 season.

After an underwhelming start to his NHL career, he’s found jump in his game over the past 3-plus years. He’s posted three consecutive 50 point seasons spanning back from 2016-17 to 2018-19, including a career year with 18 goals, 53 assists, and 71 points in 2017-18 and he still has over 15 games left to extend that run to four straight seasons.

While his career numbers of 153 goals, 320 assists, and 473 points may not seem that impressive in the grand scheme of the NHL, the aforementioned stretch has helped Bailey climb up the Islanders’ all time ranks in various categories. His 320 helpers have him ranked ninth all-time on the team’s all time assist list, ahead of Isles Hall of Famer Bob Bourne and he only needs three assists to move into a tie for eighth with Brent Sutter. In addition, he could climb as high as fourth all time to at least tie Clark Gillies on the list with 359 assists before the end of next season.

He also ranks 13th all time on the team’s all time points list with 473 and only needs 40 points to crack the top-10 and tie Mr. Islander Bobby Nystrom. His longstanding status as an Islander also puts him at fifth all time in games played for the team with 860 career games and only 12 behind the fourth place spot of Clark Gillies. The leader in that regard is Bryan Trottier with 1,123 games played.

With his current and eventual ranks on the Islanders all-time lists, it is likely that Bailey will eventually be honored in the Islanders Hall of Fame. However, whether he will have his number retired will come down to if he can lead the team to a championship. If he can win a Stanley Cup as an Islander, that could greatly increase the chance of not only the Isles Hall of Fame but even his number going to the rafters.

As a result, Bailey, even for his warts that will sometimes drive you mad, has still led a very established career with the Islanders. With continued quality play and and a long-term contract, he will more than likely be one of only 11 Islanders to ever record 500 points with the club, reach the top-five mark for assists in franchise history, and rank inside the top-10 in Islanders all time points. Even if he’s not the greatest player to ever take the NHL ice, Josh Bailey will be regarded by his teammates and coaches as one of the better players in Islanders history.

Matthew Page

I am a first year student at Hofstra University and an avid Islanders fan. I have been writing for Drive4Five since March 2020. My family has been season ticket holders for the team since 2016, and hockey is my favorite sport. As I expand my knowledge in the field of Journalism, I am writing to express my love for the Islanders and the NHL.