Mike Bossy lost his fight against lung cancer on Friday, confirmed the LCN channel. He died with his relatives at the age of 65.
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“It is with great sorrow that I announce the passing of my father, Mike Bossy. He left us on the night of April 15, and he is no longer in pain. My dad loved hockey, sure, but first and foremost, he loved life. And until the end of his journey, he hung on. He wanted to live more than anything. This life, which he held at the end of his arms, decided otherwise, for reasons that escape us, wrote his daughter Tanya in a press release. We would like to thank each and every one of you who sent your kind thoughts and love to him: his family and friends, his TVA colleagues and his supporters.”
It is a huge loss for all of us. Mike will have been a remarkable father, grandfather, husband, friend and athlete. He was a hero to many from start to finish. Dad, your presence will have marked and touched us forever. We will continue to love you and carry you in our thoughts, day after day and forever. Keep laughing, having fun and loving life where you rest now.”
The New York Islanders legend, who became an analyst for the TVA Sports channel, retired from the airwaves last year. He then explained, in a letter, that he was battling cancer.
“Today, it is with great sadness that I have to withdraw from your screens, for an obligatory break. A necessary stop during which I will have to receive treatment for lung cancer. 1 to 0 so far, but I haven’t said my last word…”, he wrote in October.
Bossy was rain or shine during his 10 season career with the Islanders, from 1977 to 1987. He totaled 573 goals and 1,126 points in 752 games, winning four consecutive Stanley Cups, from 1980 to 1983. He notably won the Conn-Smythe Trophy, awarded to the most valuable player in the playoffs, in 1982.
The Quebecer was twice the National Hockey League (NHL) scoring champion with 69 goals in 1978-1979 and 68 goals two years later. He had five 60-goal seasons and four more 50-goal seasons. Among other things, he became the second player on the circuit, after Maurice Richard, to score 50 goals in 50 games. This 50th net, he had scored on January 24, 1981 against the Quebec Nordiques.
He also has the league’s best goals-per-game average among all 200-goal scorers, at 0.762. He is ahead of Mario Lemieux (0.754).
“I don’t think people have forgotten that, although that’s still my opinion, since I’m in the New York metro area and I know a lot of Islanders fans. I believe he deserves unconditional respect for all he accomplished in hockey and for the type of individual he embodied off the ice. […] Although some thought he was distant, he was truly a warm and genuine person. He remained connected to hockey, ”commissioner Gary Bettman told TVA Sports.
Besides his offensive exploits, Bossy was also known for his sportsmanship, having won the Lady-Byng Trophy three times. He also engraved his name on the Calder Trophy, awarded to the top rookie in 1978.
Back problems, however, forced him to put an end to his prolific career at just 30 years old. For his entire career, he was still inducted into the hall of fame in 1991. His number 22 was retired by the Islanders on March 3, 1992.
Before making NHL goalies tremble, Bossy terrified those of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (LHJMQ).
The Montreal native never scored less than 70 goals in the four full seasons he played in a Laval National uniform, between 1973 and 1977. His 309 goals in 263 games in the QMJHL represent a record of the circuit that will probably never be beaten.
Bossy also ranks ninth among the best scorers in the history of the Quebec league, he who collected 532 points during his stay in the juniors.
Subsequently, he began a media career, notably being a member of the show “Y’é trop de bonneheure” with Normand Brathwaite on the airwaves of CKOI in the 1990s.
On the small screen, he has already been an analyst at TQS at Nordiques matches and held the same position on the American channel MSG Networks before landing at TVA Sports in the mid-2010s.
photo-source position-absolute" itemprop="copyrightHolder"> Photo archives QMI Agency, Sébastien St-Jean
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