ONE OF THE GREATEST COMPLIMENTS PAID TO JT CAME FROM GLEN SATHER COACH OF THE EDMONTON OILERS AT THE TIME WHO WERE IN ONE OF THOSE TOUGH 80S CALGARY EDMONTON PALYOFF SERIES. FOR SOME REASON CALGARY COACH BOB JOHNSON SAT OUT JT, A FLAME AT THE TIME, AS A HEALTHY SCRATCH OR FOR INJURY ? IN ANY EVENT, SATHER COMMENTED AFTER AN OILER VICTORY "I WOULDN'T HAVE BENCHED JOHN TONELLI IF HE STOLE MY CAR."
@znogypogy ....Sather was huge fan of Tonelli (especially after coaching him in the Canada Cup 84 team) and he tried to get Tonelli (off waivers)for the Oilers 86 team... he was the type player that team needed that year the kind of player that the team found in Esa Tikkanen the next year....if the oilers have Tonelli in 86 instead of Calgary i think they beat the Flames(and win a third straight Cup)..anyways yeah i strongly support JT getting his number retired...no doubts there.
There is no doubt that 27 should be hanging from the rafters. As I say to anyone who will listen...The Islanders do not win championships without a guy like the original JT.
Lafontaine's number will be eventually retired, you can bank on that.
Without a doubt JT should have his number retired, he is as deserving of the honor as much as Nystrom was. Without JT, Nystrom does not have the second half of his career he had had. Without JT he does not score the biggest goal in this franchises history to date and is party the reason #23 hangs from the Coliseums rafters. Without Tonelli there is no "Banana Line," there is no "Charlie hustle" on that line.
I third the motion Chris. However, I think LaFontaine (even though most of his career was with Buffalo) needs to be retired as well. You have the 1987 OT goal and more importantly, the teams he led were not very good. If he ever had the type of winger like Bossy (closest was Mikko Makela for crying out loud) he would have really made his mark as one of the best of his time.
He spent most of his career in Buffalo? That is incorrect, he spend 8 seasons with the Isles and 6 with the Sabres. He made his name with the Isles scoring 287 goals here as opposed to 156 with the Sabres.
You are using Bossy as an example, that is really unfair if you think about it. The only other pure sniper that comes close to Bossy is Gretzky. That said, by your example, Lafontaine would have never had a good winger his entire career withstanding a miracle.
Does anyone have access to the video of JTs goal vs. Pittsburgh in 82 playoffs. I was at that game and was sick to my stomach before McEwen and JT tied it in 3rd.
ONE OF THE GREATEST COMPLIMENTS PAID TO JT CAME FROM GLEN SATHER COACH OF THE EDMONTON OILERS AT THE TIME WHO WERE IN ONE OF THOSE TOUGH 80S CALGARY EDMONTON PALYOFF SERIES. FOR SOME REASON CALGARY COACH BOB JOHNSON SAT OUT JT, A FLAME AT THE TIME, AS A HEALTHY SCRATCH OR FOR INJURY ? IN ANY EVENT, SATHER COMMENTED AFTER AN OILER VICTORY "I WOULDN'T HAVE BENCHED JOHN TONELLI IF HE STOLE MY CAR."
znogypogy 1 year ago
@znogypogy ....Sather was huge fan of Tonelli (especially after coaching him in the Canada Cup 84 team) and he tried to get Tonelli (off waivers)for the Oilers 86 team... he was the type player that team needed that year the kind of player that the team found in Esa Tikkanen the next year....if the oilers have Tonelli in 86 instead of Calgary i think they beat the Flames(and win a third straight Cup)..anyways yeah i strongly support JT getting his number retired...no doubts there.
vardiss22 1 year ago
This guy was an animal!!!!!!!!! #27 was and still is my favorite Islander of all time. Just look at my user name......lol.
CI27 1 year ago
Retire his damn number already!! How can you not??
erad14 1 year ago
He was Mr. Clutch for the Islanders Dynasty teams, and someone who I think deserves to have his jersey retired by the team.
jefit 1 year ago
There is no doubt that 27 should be hanging from the rafters. As I say to anyone who will listen...The Islanders do not win championships without a guy like the original JT.
cots69 1 year ago
Lafontaine's number will be eventually retired, you can bank on that.
Without a doubt JT should have his number retired, he is as deserving of the honor as much as Nystrom was. Without JT, Nystrom does not have the second half of his career he had had. Without JT he does not score the biggest goal in this franchises history to date and is party the reason #23 hangs from the Coliseums rafters. Without Tonelli there is no "Banana Line," there is no "Charlie hustle" on that line.
Retire #27
mrceebees14 2 years ago
I third the motion Chris. However, I think LaFontaine (even though most of his career was with Buffalo) needs to be retired as well. You have the 1987 OT goal and more importantly, the teams he led were not very good. If he ever had the type of winger like Bossy (closest was Mikko Makela for crying out loud) he would have really made his mark as one of the best of his time.
golt73 3 years ago
He spent most of his career in Buffalo? That is incorrect, he spend 8 seasons with the Isles and 6 with the Sabres. He made his name with the Isles scoring 287 goals here as opposed to 156 with the Sabres.
You are using Bossy as an example, that is really unfair if you think about it. The only other pure sniper that comes close to Bossy is Gretzky. That said, by your example, Lafontaine would have never had a good winger his entire career withstanding a miracle.
mrceebees14 2 years ago
Does anyone have access to the video of JTs goal vs. Pittsburgh in 82 playoffs. I was at that game and was sick to my stomach before McEwen and JT tied it in 3rd.
tommyhess20 3 years ago
I agree, but it should have been done a while ago.
glassjaw42989 3 years ago