For years, nearly every Islanders fan knew the names and numbers hanging high in the rafters of the Coliseum. Even when the team had played at the Barclays Center, the six numbers were always synonymous with the club. However, in the 2019-20 season, the Islanders added two more numbers of players who have been deserving of the honor for years. These new retired numbers now hang with the likes of Denis Potvin and Bryan Trottier, and will do so for eternity. Nevertheless, fans have debated as to if any other name-and-number duos should hang with the greats. I asked fellow Drive4Five writers for their opinion on the matter.
Drive4Five editor and contributor Jake Blackmore suggested we retire the number 91 again, this time for Tavares. Blackmore states, “The Islander dynasty days are over, and management has to think about Islanders legends that have come since.” This is a fact that many Islander fans are reluctant to think about, in more ways than one. Islander fans love the history that such a young team made in the ’80s, but it’s time to reflect on other eras on Islanders hockey. The team went from NHL legends to the laughing stock of the NHL in less than a decade. Tavares was one of the crucial pieces that lead the Islanders to possible cup contenders once again.  As Blackmore stated, the ex-Islander forward may not have left his old team on the best of terms, but that shouldn’t and won’t discredit how much of an impact he left in his wake. Giving the Island an all-star forward that we desperately needed had helped to keep the Islanders where they belong: on Long Island. Tavares is arguably a top-five center and he deserves recognition. Blackmore also believes that the heat between Tavares and the Islanders Faithful may simmer down enough to see past the rough divorce and see the greatness that he brought to the ice.
Another suggestion by Jake Blackmore isn’t necessarily a number, but instead a memorial to ex-Islander owner Charles Wang. Blackmore states that if Torrey could have his famous bow-tie in the rafters, then why not Wang? Although Islanders fans had a rough relationship with Brooklyn, it was because of Charles Wang that the club spent a few years in Brooklyn and not in another city like Québec or Kansas City. The Islanders had the CBW patches on their jerseys last season after it was found out that he passed away, so perhaps the Islanders could have a similar tribute in the rafters.

In honor of Charles B. Wang.
 
The Islanders will wear CBW patches for the remainder of the season. pic.twitter.com/iSxJq5aX9r

— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) October 24, 2018

Ex-Islander Ken Morrow also has quite a case for hanging up his number. It’s well known that Ken Morrow was one of the 10 players that were lucky enough to be on all four of the Stanley Cup-winning Islander teams. Morrow was also a part of history when he won both a gold medal and a Stanley Cup in the same year. He was the first player in NHL history to do so and is part of only a handful of players that have since achieved that feat. With 17 goals and 88 assists in his NHL regular-season career, as well as 11 goals and 22 assists in his playoff career, it’s clear that Morrow wasn’t a very offensive defenseman. However, the goals and assists he got were some important ones in Islanders history. Along with fellow cup-winning teammate Butch Goring, Morrow is working for the New York Islanders as Director of Professional Scouting. Morrow is still helping this Islanders team, years since he’s donned the skates.
While some writers do feel some numbers deserve to be retired, fellow writer Will Wiegelman states that no other numbers deserve to be retired. He states, “…there is[n’t] anyone else who has made an impact at the same level of the guys already up there.” There is a strong argument to be made here because most Islander fans know the major slump the team experienced in the ’90s and early 2000s which caused a major rebuild era. During that time, the impact on the franchise was simply not the same as the players of the ’80s.
Many fans feel ex-Islander forward John Tavares, or Islanders cup winner and gold medalist Ken Morrow should have their numbers retired. Others feel no more numbers should be retired. Regardless, it is evident there is still dialogue between Islanders supporters as to whether the team should hang any more banners to the rafters of the Coliseum before Belmont.

David Lazar