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Bryan Trottier with the New York Islanders in the '80s. Source: https://www.nhl.com/news/bryan-trottier-100-greatest-nhl-hockey-players-285563830 (May be subject to copyright) |
He was one of the greatest centres of his generation and indeed the history of the National Hockey League. Not only great offensively, but great defensively, Bryan Trottier was a leader, a Stanley Cup winner, and a force to be reckoned with.
After he lead the New York Islanders to four straight Stanley Cups and within three games of a fifth in a row, his career looked to be on the wane. However, he joined another team, took on a much different role, and helped win two more Stanley Cups.
Beyond that, there is a local connection, and so much more.
Tonight, during the first intermission of Game 1 of this year’s Stanley Cup final, Wayne Gretzky compared one of the Florida players to Bryan Trottier.
It just reminded me how great the kid from Val Marie, Saskatchewan was.
Bronco Bryan
The first time I heard about Bryan Trottier was on the school bus. My friend and neighbour Mike’s older brother was a New York Islanders fan, and loved Trottier.
The first time I heard about Bryan Trottier was on the school bus. My friend and neighbour Mike’s older brother was a New York Islanders fan, and loved Trottier.
Part of that was because Trottier played his final year of junior hockey with the nearby Lethbridge Broncos. He had played two years with the Swift Current Broncos in 1972-1973 and 1973-1974, and was drafted by the Islanders in 1974, 22nd overall. Trottier accompanied the Broncos when they moved to Lethbridge for the 1974-1975 season He had his best season in junior there with 46 goals and 98 assists for 144 points in 67 games.
As it turns out, my own older brother had also gone to see the Broncos play, because I found a program among the stuff he left behind when he went off to college. Sitting in the front row of the Broncos team picture, wearing the captain’s “C” was Bryan Trottier.
Rookie sensation
Bryan Trottier made his NHL debut in the 1975-1976 season, recording 32 goals and 63 assists for 95 points in 80 games. That was an NHL rookie record until Peter Stastny broke it in the 1980-1981 season. Trottier also had one goal and seven assists for eight points in 13 playoff games. For his efforts, he won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL rookie of the year. He also appeared in his first NHL all-star game.
Bryan Trottier made his NHL debut in the 1975-1976 season, recording 32 goals and 63 assists for 95 points in 80 games. That was an NHL rookie record until Peter Stastny broke it in the 1980-1981 season. Trottier also had one goal and seven assists for eight points in 13 playoff games. For his efforts, he won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL rookie of the year. He also appeared in his first NHL all-star game.
That was just a sign of things to come.
The rest of the ‘70s
Bryan Trottier would become one of the premiere centres in the NHL, helping propel the Islanders to becoming the best team in the NHL.
Bryan Trottier would become one of the premiere centres in the NHL, helping propel the Islanders to becoming the best team in the NHL.
In his sophomore season, 1976-1977, Trottier appeared in 76 games where he recorded 30 goals and 42 assists for 72 points. He also had two goals and eight assists for 10 points in 12 playoff games.
He then broke the 100-point plateau for the first of five straight, and six total times. In the 1977-1978 season he recorded 46 goals and 77 assists for 123 points in 77 games. He added three assists in seven playoff games. That was the year the Islanders were one of the Stanley Cup favourites and the Toronto Maple Leafs eliminated them in seven games on an overtime goal by Lanny McDonald. Trottier was named a First Team NHL All-Star and appeared in his second all-star game that season.
Trottier had the best statistical year of his career in the 1978-1979 season with 47 goals and 87 assists to lead the league with 134 points in 76. He also had two goals and four assists for six points in 10 playoff games. Trottier won the Art Ross Trophy for leading the league in points, and was also named a First Team NHL All-Star for the second time.
As the ‘80s dawned, Trottier and the Islanders would turn the corner.
Championship run
The New York Islanders would win their first of four straight Stanley Cups in the 1979-1980 season. Trottier had 42 goals and 62 assists for 104 points in 78 games. He would also have 12 goals and 17 assists for 29 points in 21 playoff games, on his way to winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the playoffs. The Islanders would defeat my beloved Boston Bruins 4-1 in the second round, after a first-round bye. Then they beat Buffalo in six games in the semi-fianls and took the Philadelphia Flyers in six games to win the Stanley Cup. Trottier also played in his third all-star game that season.
The New York Islanders would win their first of four straight Stanley Cups in the 1979-1980 season. Trottier had 42 goals and 62 assists for 104 points in 78 games. He would also have 12 goals and 17 assists for 29 points in 21 playoff games, on his way to winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the playoffs. The Islanders would defeat my beloved Boston Bruins 4-1 in the second round, after a first-round bye. Then they beat Buffalo in six games in the semi-fianls and took the Philadelphia Flyers in six games to win the Stanley Cup. Trottier also played in his third all-star game that season.
The Islanders repeated as champions in the 1980-1981 season, as they swept Toronto in the first round, beat the Edmonton Oilers in six games in the second round, swept the New York Rangers in four straight in the semi-finals and beat the Minnesota North Stars in five games in the final. Trottier had 11 goals and 18 assists for 29 points in 18 playoff games to go with 31 goals and 71 assists for 103 points in 73 regular season games. Trottier also played in his fourth all-star game.
New York would win their third straight Stanley Cup at the end of the 1981-1982 season, beating the Cinderella story Vancouver Canucks in four straight in the final. This came after sweeping Quebec in four games in the semi-finals, beating the Rangers in six in the second round, and opening the playoffs going the full five games before defeating the Pittsburgh Penguins. Trottier had his lone 50-goal season in 1981-1982 with 50 goals to go with 79 assists for 129 points in 80 games. He added six goals and 23 assists for 29 points in 19 playoff games. Trottier was also named a Second Team NHL All-Star and played in his fifth all-star game.
The Islanders won their fourth straight Stanley Cup at the end of the 1982-1983 season, sweeping Edmonton in the final, after they beat my beloved Bruins in six games in the semi-final, beat the Rangers in six games in the second round, and beat the Washington capitals 3-1 in the opening round. Trottier did not hit the 100-point mark, recording 34 goals and 55 assists for 89 points in 80 regular season games. He added eight goals and 12 assists for 20 points in 17 playoff games. Trottier also played in his sixth all-star game.
Changing of the guard
The Oilers learned from being swept, and Wayne Gretzky alluded to that when he was talking about Trottier. They rebounded to defeat the Islanders in five games to win their first Stanley Cup at the end of the 1983-1984 season.
The Oilers learned from being swept, and Wayne Gretzky alluded to that when he was talking about Trottier. They rebounded to defeat the Islanders in five games to win their first Stanley Cup at the end of the 1983-1984 season.
The Islanders playoff run, dubbed the “Drive for Five” Stanley Cups, began with a heart-stopping first-round series they won in the fifth and deciding game against the Rangers. Then they beat Washington in five games in the second round, and beat the Montreal Canadiens in six games in the semi-finals. Trottier returned to form with the final 100-point season of his career. He recorded 40 goals and 71 assists for 111 points in 68 regular season games, and had another eight goals and six assists for 14 points in 21 playoff games. Trottier was also named a Second Team NHL All-Star for the second time in his career.
The Islanders have not returned to the Stanley Cup final since.
The rest of the decade
In the 1984-1985 season, Trottier's production fell to 59 points, on 28 goals and 31 assists in 68 games, adding four goals and two assists for six points in 10 playoff games. After defeating Washington in the maximum five games in the first round, the Islanders were eliminated by the Flyers in five games in the second round. Trottier also appeared in his seventh all-star game.
In the 1984-1985 season, Trottier's production fell to 59 points, on 28 goals and 31 assists in 68 games, adding four goals and two assists for six points in 10 playoff games. After defeating Washington in the maximum five games in the first round, the Islanders were eliminated by the Flyers in five games in the second round. Trottier also appeared in his seventh all-star game.
The 1985-1986 season was even worse as the Islanders were swept in the first round by the Capitals in three straight games. Trottier had a goal and an assist for two points in those three playoff games, after returning to form with 37 goals and 59 assists for 96 points in 78 regular season games. Trottier also appeared in his eighth all-star game.
The 1986-1987 season saw the Islanders exact some measure of revenge, defeating Wasington in seven games, including “The Easter Epic”, before losing to the Flyers in seven games in the second round. Trottier had 23 goals and 64 assists for 87 points in 80 games, and had eight goals and four assists for 12 points in 14 playoff games.
The New Jersey Devils eliminated the Islanders in six games in the first round of the 1987-1988 playoffs. Trottier had 30 goals and 52 assists for 82 points in the regular season, but did not record a point in the playoffs.
The Islanders hit rock bottom in the 1988-1989 season, and did not make the playoffs. Trottier’s production fell off dramatically, as he registered 17 goals and 28 assists for 45 points in 73 games. He also won the King Clancy Memorial Trophy for the player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice.
He closed out the decade in the 1989-1990 season with 13 goals and 11 assists for 24 points in 59 games. The Islanders returned to the playoffs but went out in the first round, losing 4-1 to the Rangers. Trottier had one goal in the four playoff games he played in.
The years after
The Islanders let Trottier go after the 1990 season. He would join the Pittsburgh Penguins, helping them to win the Stanley Cup in the 1991-1992 and 1992-1993 seasons. He would play in his ninth NHL all-star game in 1992. He would sit out the 1992-1993 season, play in the 1993-1994 season, and retire after that.
The Islanders let Trottier go after the 1990 season. He would join the Pittsburgh Penguins, helping them to win the Stanley Cup in the 1991-1992 and 1992-1993 seasons. He would play in his ninth NHL all-star game in 1992. He would sit out the 1992-1993 season, play in the 1993-1994 season, and retire after that.
He finished with career totals of 524 goals and 901 assists for 1,425 points in 1,279 games. He also appeared in 221 playoff games, recording 71 goals and 112 assists for 183 points.
He would win another Stanley Cup as a member of the coaching staff of the Colorado Avalanche in 2001.
Bryan Trottier was elected to the Hockey Hall Of Fame in 1997.
Parting thoughts
What I will always remember about Trottier was how great an all-around player he was. Not only could he score, evidenced by his 100-point seasons and Art Ross Trophy, but he could also check and take care of the defensive end. That was why he was such a valuable contributor to the Pittsburgh Penguins in helping them win their Stanley Cups in 1991 and 1992.
What I will always remember about Trottier was how great an all-around player he was. Not only could he score, evidenced by his 100-point seasons and Art Ross Trophy, but he could also check and take care of the defensive end. That was why he was such a valuable contributor to the Pittsburgh Penguins in helping them win their Stanley Cups in 1991 and 1992.
I will also remember his playmaking ability and that he centred that great line with Mike Bossy and Clark Gillies. I always thought they were called the “Long Island Electric Company”, although Wikipedia refers to them as “The Trio Grande”.
He also played with Team Canada in the 1981 Canada Cup, but chose to play for the Americans in the 1984 Canada Cup. He wanted to express gratitude for the country that gave him so much, plus his wife was American.
Another, odd memory, is that Bryan had two younger brothers I followed through the Western Hockey League – Monty and Rocky Trottier. Monty never made the NHL but Rocky played 38 games with New Jersey.
Overall, whenever I hear the name Bryan Trottier, I think of one of the best two-way centres in the history of the game.
Wayne Gretzky said just as much, pointing out Trottier checked him hard in 1983, and no Cup for Edmonton. He found a way to get away from Trottier in 1984 and the Oilers won the Cup.
High praise from the Great One.
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