After 15 seasons of service to the New York Islanders, forward Josh Bailey skated in his 1,000th NHL game on Oct. 28, 2022.
His 1,000th game was delayed due to Nikita Soshnikov taking his place in the lineup for a game in Tampa on Oct. 22, which moved Bailey’s milestone game from a matchup against the New York Rangers on home ice to a road game in Raleigh.
With the spotlight on him against the Hurricanes, Bailey made the most of it by notching a highlight-reel goal in the second period.
With the game tied at two in the second period, Mathew Barzal dropped the puck back to Bailey, who knifed his way through the Hurricanes’ defense, faked out goaltender Frederik Andersen, and finished the play to give New York the lead.
🎥 ISLES REWIND: On Oct. 28, 2022, Josh Bailey makes an elite move to score a goal in his 1,000th game as the #Isles defeated the Hurricanes 6-2 in Carolina. “The guys in here knew how much this meant to me,” Bailey said. “They all stepped up and played a (great) game.” pic.twitter.com/A5QBmfsDvl
— 𝐈𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐅𝐢𝐱 (@IslesFix) October 28, 2024
The goal stood to be the game-winner.
James Guillory-Imagn Image
Here’s Stefen Rosner’s conversations with Bailey after that goal and some words from teammates on seeing him accomplish the feat:
“It’s something special for him and for his family,” teammate Jean-Gabriel Pageau said. “I can’t really remember how many guys played 1,000 games for the same team. And that’s…it’s extraordinary. And to be his teammate, I feel lucky. He’s a great leader in the room and on the ice; you just see his commitment and his attitude in the gym. All the extras that he’s done to play 1,000 games just shows how great of a pro he is.
“And I think you go around the room, everyone was willing to do the same thing. He’s a great pro and a great friend to everyone.”
Former Islanders forward and longtime teammate of Bailey, Cal Clutterbuck, made a point about how the fan base viewed No. 12 toward the end.
“Him and I became friends quickly when I got here. We’ve remained friends throughout. You know, he has gotten some hate. And I don’t really understand why,” Clutterbuck said. “I think if you really watch him play the game, and you watch the amount of big plays and big moments he’s had for us along the way, I don’t know how that’s justified.”
“But…it doesn’t affect him. I know that which is pretty impressive. Just the way that he’s been able to stay with one team and be committed to this area, this team, this franchise in an era where it’s very difficult for guys to stay in one place, you got to stay relevant. You got to stay important. You got to be a good teammate. You got to be a good guy, and he’s all of those things.”
Islanders captain Anders Lee has had Josh Bailey as a teammate and as a leader since he broke into the NHL back in 2012. He understands how underrated Bailey has been over his career.
“He’s always finding the open guy and making the smart play, and a lot of his skill is undercover,” Anders Lee told Cory Wright. “And I don’t think it gets enough appreciation at times.”
Bailey departed the Islanders that offseason following a trade to the Chicago Blackhawks, where he was bought out shortly thereafter.
He signed with the Ottawa Senators on a Professional Tryout (PTO) but was released prior to the 2023-24 season. He has yet to announce his retirement from the NHL.
Related: The Special Affection For Islanders Josh Bailey Is Felt Keenly By The Maven
Across his 1,057-game career with New York, he totaled 184 goals and 396 assists for 580 points. He sits fourth and seventh in franchise history in assists and points, respectively.
Bailey also has made appearances at UBS Arena during Alumni Weekend last season and at the team’s season opener earlier this month.
