Saturday, January 10, 2015

27 for Tonelli

27 For Tonelli

 The Time to Honor John Tonelli is Now...and the Time Left to do it in the Proper Place is Running Out

 By Thomas Henderson
@tommyhendo


First of all, "Now" is generous. It was 20 years ago....at least. No, he wasn't Bossy, Trottier or Potvin, he'd be the first to tell you that. But you could argue that no other player was on the ice for more big moments during the dynasty run and he was such an integral part of the cup teams, it's hard to imagine the Isles dynasty ever coming to be without him. As a two time All Star with 300 goals scored and 30 and 40 goal seasons and 90 and 100 point seasons to his credit, he was far from a statistical slouch either. Currently at the Nassau Coliseum we see retired numbers hanging from the rafters, there's a team Hall of Fame, commemorative lockers are being given to the "legends", bobble head doll nights are scheduled and even the fisherman has a night locked in before the "Old Barn" is closed, but nothing solid for John Tonelli. It's pretty outrageous. Am I overreacting? Maybe. But let me remind you of something Jonathan Ledecky said when it was announced he would become an eventual majority owner of the Islanders. He said he was proud to take over the Islanders because they were one of New York's two "Dynasties". Now, there's two things to this statement. First, the Islanders' history isn't as long and storied as the Yankees with championship seasons being passed on from generation to generation. Second, HE'S RIGHT! Nassau Coliseum was the home of that dynasty and the Islanders are leaving it. Every player that played on all four dynasty cup teams in the Coliseum and is in the Isles all time top ten in points, goals and/or assists (Bourne,Nystrom,Tonelli,Bossy,Potvin,Gillies,Trottier) either has their number retired or is in the team Hall of Fame with the exception of one. They were all put there years and in most cases decades ago. Bobby Bourne was rightfully put in the team HOF in 2006, I was at the game. That's 9 years ago. Tonelli had two more career points than Bourne with the Islanders in 200 less games. Bourne's and everyone else's ceremonies took place in the proper place, Nassau Coliseum. John Tonelli is still in the top ten on all three lists (Points, Assists and Goals). With the Isles leaving Nassau Coliseum, I think getting his number retired or at least getting him into the team Hall of Fame should be something we'd be "moving on" with a degree of urgency. We're not. I've already referenced Tonelli's place on the Isles all time stats lists,but who am I kidding? If you're a true Islander fan, you know stats are the last thing Tonelli, the ultimate workhorse in the corners, was about. John Tonelli was about big goals, big assists, big forechecks and big moments with his teammates during big games. In honor of the original JT, here's 27 moments from Tonelli's Islander's career, either he created or shared, that sum up why he needs to be honored.


27. He was drafted by the Islanders in the 2nd round in 1977 out of the WHA from the Houston Aeros.
Consider the Ranger's second round pick in '77, Mike Keating, played in one game as you look over all the moments Tonelli made contributions to...
26. He scored the first goal of his NHL career against the Montreal Canadiens on October 17, 1978.
It was the game winning goal as the Islanders defeated the Habs 3-1 at the Nassau Coliseum. For Islander fans, Tonelli being involved in clutch goals would be a sign of things to come...
(Big time credit goes to Eric Hornick in helping me dig this one up....he's the best and a great follow on Twitter @ehornick)
25,24. He scored 200 goals as an Islander and 300 goals on his career
A 300 goal scorer selected in the 2nd round of any draft is a nice grab...
23,22 He was selected to two All-Star Teams
1982 & 1985...
Link to Videos:
1982 All Star Intros (Boo-Birds in Washington for the Isles)
21. He assisted Mike Bossy on the game winning goal against the Soviet Union in the 1984 Canada Cup semi-finals and was selected tournament MVP
No, he didn't do this for the Islanders, but it was quite an accomplishment while still donning an Islander's uniform and a pretty impressive list of teammates to have been selected MVP from as well. 
Link to Roster: 1984 Canada Cup Team Roster
20. He scored his second goal in what would be an 11-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on December 20th, 1983 at the Nassau Coliseum
The eleven goal tally still stands and looks like it will forever stand as the Islanders' record at the Nassau Coliseum. There were nine goal scorers on the day for the Isles.Trottier and Tonelli were the "only" scorers with two. Once again, I have to credit Eric Hornick with this one!
Link to NYISkinny: Isles score 11 at the Coliseum
19. He was the second Islander in team history to have a five goal game on January 6, 1981
All eyes were on his linemate Mike Bossy as 50/50 drew closer, but for one game the original JT stole the spotlight. Tonelli scored five goals on six shots; one in the first period, one in the second and three in the third. After the game he said ,"the puck just kept coming to me. You can thank Boss and Trots for that." For Tonelli, the habit of talking about and thanking his teammates in post game interviews after career games would become common as the dynasty years rolled on. Trottier had the only other goal during this 6-3 victory over the Leafs. Bossy wasn't completely left out. Bossy assisted on all six goals. Bryan Trottier is the only other Islander to match Tonelli's 5 goal feat. He did it twice....
Link to NY Times: Tonelli Scores 5
Link to E Hornick's The Skinny: Tonelli Scores 5
18. He completed his 2nd career hat trick with the Islanders on January 15th, 1983
Tonelli outscored the Isles' opponent as he had three of the teams' five goals in the Isles 5-2 victory over the LA Kings.  
17. He completed his 3rd career hat trick with the Islanders on December 18th, 1984
He scored the first three goals of the game. The first two, tied the score. The third gave the Isles a lead they would never lose. After the game, he credited a Duane Sutter fight for sparking the team and he said, " I got the hat trick because of my linemates." He led the charge as the Isles defeated the Winnipeg Jets 7-4...
Link to NYTimes: Tonelli's 3rd Hat Trick
16. Mike Bossy scored his 50th goal in 50 games with John Tonelli on the shift
Of course, it's Bossy's moment. Bossy entered the 50th game of the 1980-'81 season with 48 goals. With less than five minutes remaining, he still hadn't scored. The Coliseum crowd was electrified as he produced two goals in those final minutes. The play that lead to goal number 50 started with a Tonelli forecheck.
15. Bobby Nystrom scored the Double OT game winner Vs. Buffalo in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Semi-finals on May 1st, 1980 while on his shift with Tonelli
It would be a foreshadow of things to come. Bobby Ny's next OT game winner would feature Tonelli in a much bigger role twenty three days later
Link to Video: Nystrom beats Buffalo
14. He assisted Bobby Nystrom on the Islander's 4th goal in the final minute of the second period in Game 6 against the Philadelphia Flyers on May 24th, 1980 in the Stanley Cup finals
The goal gave the Islanders a 4 to 2 lead and a jubilant Islander's team began celebrating in the dressing room during the second intermission. For a moment, it looked as if all "Tonelli to Nystrom" would mean to Islander's fans was an insurance goal in their first cup clinching game. Later that day, "Tonelli to Nystrom"would come to mean so much more.
Link to Video: Tonelli to Nystrom for goal 4...(Go to 24:40)
12. He scored his 25th playoff goal during the 4 year dynasty run
That goal total compares nicely to Gillies (20) and Nystrom (27) whose numbers hang from the rafters. We will look at some of those goals a little more closely shortly.

11.He scored the game winning goal in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoff semi-finals against the New York Rangers at the Nassau Coliseum in 1981
The Islanders were facing the Rangers for the first time in the playoffs since their heartbreaking loss in 1979. Tonelli was the hero with two goals including the game winner.
Link to Video: Tonelli's two goals help Isles defeat Rangers in '81
10. He scored the game tying goal in the 3rd period of Game 4 of the Patrick Division Semi-finals in 1984 against the Rangers at MSG
The Tonelli-Sutter line tied this game up in the 3rd period and also gave the Isles the lead. The third period comeback was significant because we all know what happened in the next game (see #9 below)....
9. Ken Morrow scored his Game 5 OT goal at the Nassau Coliseum that eliminated the Rangers from the Patrick Division Semi-finals in 1984
Yes, this is Morrow's moment, but an exhausted John Tonelli was on the shift. He seemed useless going in to the corner just prior to the goal, but sure enough, two Rangers ended up on their backs before the puck came out to first, Brent Sutter and then Morrow, who scored the game winner...
Link:Morrow eliminates Rangers in 1984
Great shot of Tonelli and Sutter looking back at Morrow the moment the puck goes in:
8. He scored the second goal in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup finals as the Islanders were on their way to sweeping the Edmonton Oilers and taking their 4th straight Stanley Cup
The play started with a Tonelli forecheck and then it was Nystrom to Tonelli for the goal. Nystrom to Tonelli??? Does that sound strange?? It actually happened a lot. There's a link here, I can prove it.
7. Ken Morrow clinched the 1983 Stanley Cup with an empty net goal with Tonelli and Nystrom on the shift
On Bobby Nystrom's Commemorative Locker Day at the Coliseum earlier this year during his 2nd period talk with Butch and Howie, Bobby discussed this goal. Both Bobby and Tonelli were closest to Morrow as he skated out of the Islander's end and screaming for the puck because Morrow wasn't the fastest skater, but Morrow continued to skate and took the shot. After the puck went in, Nystrom and Tonelli reached Morrow and hugged him at the same time. Morrow just said, "I love you guys!"
Group hug after Morrow's empty net goal...so much for being underdogs to Gretzky and the Oilers
6. He assisted Wayne Merrick on what would be the game winning goal in Game 5 against the Minnesota North Stars on May 21, 1981, as the Islanders were on their way to clinching their second Stanley Cup
Not nearly as dramatic as his cup clinching assist that came at the Coliseum nearly one year earlier, but the Isles were champions once again
If we stopped the countdown here, John Tonelli would be worth remembering, to say the least. He was drafted by the organization, had 300 career goals, important goals, important assists, 4 Stanley Cups, played in All-Star Games, represented the team well in international play and was on the ice for great moments, but it's the top five of this list that make him an immortal member of the franchise. One who I believe is worthy of having his number hanging from the rafters, a spot in the team Hall of Fame, a commemorative locker or maybe even a bobble head doll. These are five of the biggest goals in the New York Islander's forty-three year history. John Tonelli either scored or assisted on all five of them.
5. He assisted Denis Potvin on Potvin's OT goal in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals against the Philadelphia Flyers on May 13th, 1980...
Yes, it's Tonelli to Nystrom that still resonates with Isles fans today, but Tonelli to Potvin sent the first shockwave in Philadelphia. I know we look back very proudly on our four time Stanley Cup Champions, but they were only "favorites" to win two of those four cups. The Flyers had an astounding 35 game unbeaten streak that spanned from October 14th to January 7th during the regular season and they were big favorites to win the cup and send the Isles packing in 1980. Tonelli connected with Potvin in OT of Game 1 and things suddenly looked and felt differently for the New York Islanders.
4. He scored the game winning goal with 47 seconds left in the 3rd period to cap the Islander's record breaking 15th straight win on February 20th, 1982...
It was awesome regular season drama we will never see again in this age of overtimes, shootouts and overtime losses. Linemate Bryan Trottier fed him beautifully as Tonelli crossed the blue line and ripped a shot through Rockies defenseman and former Islander Bobby Lorimer, who assisted Tonelli's first career goal three years earlier, and passed Colorado Rockies goalie and former Islander Chico Resch, who Tonelli won a cup with two years earlier. The '92-'93 Penguins would break this record with the benefit of OT wins.** In the 43 year history of the Islanders, this has to be the team's biggest regular season goal. Tonelli, his Islander teammates and the Nassau Coliseum fans went absolutely ballistic when Tonelli scored. They had snapped a 52 year old record. The entire team left the bench to celebrate on the ice and the Isles just took the bench minor penalty. As if this blog isn't already nostalgic enough, even though the team won four Stanley Cups, this moment is how I'll always remember Nassau Coliseum,the fans and my dynasty Islanders...
Link to Video: Tonelli's goal makes it 15 straight for the Isles  
Link to NY Times: Isles win 15 Straight
3. He scored the game tying goal in Game 5 against the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 1982 Patrick Division Semi-finals on April 13th, 1982...
It took sixteen consecutive playoff series to produce four straight Stanley Cups. Amazingly, only one of those sixteen series went the maximum number of games and the Isles only faced elimination once. The game five elimination game was at the Nassau Coliseum against the Pittsburgh Penguins on April 13th, 1982. The Islanders took a 2 games to 0 lead in the sereies with two quick victories over the Penguins in games 1 and 2 at the Coliseum. They defeated the Penguins by a combined score of 15-3 in the two victories. "Legend has it" the Isles were spotted in Pittsburgh before game 3 bringing their luggage with them into their locker room by the Penguins so they could get back to New York quickly in anticipation of an easy sweep. The Penguins used this as motivation to play inspired hockey that resulted in an OT victory in game 3 and a regulation victory in game 4. The series came back to New York and the Penguins took a 3-1 advantage into the 3rd period of game 5. As the third period wore on, many Islander fans began to accept their fate. Two Stanley Cups was something to be proud of and the word "dynasty" would never be associated with their beloved Islanders. With less than ten minutes remaining in the game, some dejected Islander fans began to look over at the Penguins players sitting on their bench. Through the glass the players were smiling back, waving and mouthing the words "bye-bye" back at the fans as the clock continued to tick. Bobby Nystrom finished serving a penalty and the guy who opened the door for him in the box looked at him and said, "Bobby, I can't believe it's over." Bobby snapped at him and said, "It's not over!" Suddenly, at 14:33 of the period, an out of position Mike McEwen pounced on a Mike Bossy rebound and sent a shot passed Penguin's goalie Michel Dion to pull the Islanders within one.The Isles had new life. Just minutes later, after falling down, Gord Lane innocently dumped the puck into the Penguins end so the Islanders could complete a player change after a face off in front of their bench. Butch Goring and John Tonelli came out on the change. Randy Carlyle of the Penguins was the first player to get to the puck as it took what looked like a routine carom off the boards just a few feet away from the Penguin's net. Suddenly, in the closest thing to a "Bill Buckner" moment the New York Islander's fan base has ever experienced, the puck skipped over Carlyle's stick. Standing behind Carlyle, just on the ice from the player change during Gord Lane's "dump in", waiting for the puck in the corner (really, by the grace of God!), was our greatest corner man...John Tonelli. With 2:21 left in the game he "rifled it home" and an ecstatic "Tonto" jumped in the arms of Butch Goring and marked one of the most iconic goals and moments in franchise history as the Isles tied the game.
Link: Tonelli Ties Up Game 5 Against Pitt

2. He scored the game winning goal in Game 5 against the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 1982 Patrick Division Semi-finals on April 13th, 1982...
The only elimination game the Islanders would play during their dynasty run of four Stanley Cups would go to overtime. The Penguins were on a rush in front of the Islander's net in the first OT. Randy Carlyle had his shot blocked by Mike McEwen, who scored the Isles' second goal during the comeback in the 3rd, McEwen sent a beautiful lead pass up to Tonelli, who had just tied the game, and Tonelli was on a breakaway. Only problem, a speeding Tonelli was losing his legs with every step and the Penguins Paul Baxter, their team leader in penalty minutes, was catching up to him. Baxter caught Tonelli and took out his legs with his stick while falling down and looked up to see if there would be a penalty call. Tonelli got off a one handed shot while he also fell to the ice with Baxter to the left of the Penguin's net. Tonelli sprung up before Baxter, picked up his own rebound and got a pass off to a speeding Bobby Nystrom who was now in front of Pittsburgh's net with the Penguin's Randy Carlyle literally on his back and hooking him from behind. After receiving Tonelli's pass, Nystrom had to shift to his backhand and was only able to get off a weak shot, but Nystrom's move was enough to make Pittsburgh's goalie, Dion, drop to the ice before Nystrom too, took a spill. Tonelli, now well recovered from Baxter's hack, lifted the loose puck over all the carnage for the goal and the Isles were on their way to facing the Rangers in the Patrick Division Finals. After the game, in his post game interview, despite just completing the biggest game of his life, like after his five goal game, Tonelli didn't do a lot of talking about himself. He just talked about how Bobby Nystrom was "his favorite hockey player" and how he "loved the Nassau Coliseum fans" and "how they were paying for seats" and how he was "just trying to give them a good show."
Link to Video: Tonelli Beats Pittsburgh
Link to Interview: John Tonelli's Post Game Interview


1. He assisted Bobby Nystrom on the cup clinching Stanley Cup winning OT goal in Game 6 against the Philadelphia Flyers on May 24th, 1980...
It's the biggest moment in New York Islander's history and one of the biggest goals in NHL history. Nystrom scored it. Tonelli quarterbacked it. The Islanders entered the third period with a 4-2 lead over the Flyers, but Philadelphia stormed back and tied the score at 4 and the game headed to OT. During the intermission the Isles went through their usual ritual of going around the locker room and calling out who would get the goal...."Who's gonna be the hero? Who's gonna be the hero?" and down the line everyone answered, "I am, I am, I am."  A loss meant a return to Philadelphia. The Isles needed to win now. I love Bobby Nystrom as much as anyone for scoring "THE GOAL". But “THE GOAL” begins with two words and they come from John Tonelli, not Bobby Nystrom, “Hey Lornie”. Lorne Henning is skating towards Billy Smith with just over seven minutes gone in the first overtime period when Tonelli realizes the Flyers are making a player change and have too many men deep in the Islanders' end. Tonelli alerts Henning with the call, “Hey Lornie” (you can hear him call for it on the video link), Tonelli receives the pass from Henning, criss crosses with Nystrom at the blue line, beats a Flyers defender and sends a perfect,hard pass over to Nystrom. Nystrom backhanded the shot past Flyer's goalie, Pete Peeters. Nystrom has been quoted saying it's the "only" backhanded goal he scored during his entire career.To me, “THE GOAL” has always been as much Tonelli’s as it is Nystrom’s.
Video Link: Tonelli to Nystrom 


The New York Islanders will complete their 43rd and final season at Nassau Coliseum this year. John Tonelli thrilled Islander fans for eight of them. In his first season the team had the best record in the NHL, in the next five they advanced to the Stanley Cup finals and took home four consecutive Stanley Cups. I've been the administrator for his fan page for the past year and the number of fans, bloggers, sportswriters and former teammates of John Tonelli's from around the world who would like to see him recognized in some capacity by the NY Islanders is in the thousands. I'm not saying it's completely the Islander's fault he hasn't been. Maybe Tonelli needs to be reminded too. Yes, it was a difficult last year he had with the Isles before he was traded. There was a contract dispute, a training camp holdout, a cold shoulder from Torrey and a benching from Arbour to give him a "new perspective" when he got back. Bill Torrey said after the trade it was due to Tonelli's "recent performance," but his respect for Tonelli was still "limitless". And make no mistake of it, Al Arbour loved all his players, especially the guys he made the dynasty run with and although Tonelli was "benched," Al Arbour loved John Tonelli. When Bill Torrey came in to the locker room to tell the team Tonelli was traded on March 11, 1986, Tonelli stormed out and said nothing. That I can document. There's one thing I've just been told from a few different sources and I've looked for the news articles, documentaries, interviews,anything to back it up this last year, but I just can't...I'm going to include it anyway because I don't doubt for one second that it's true. When Torrey told Tonelli and Arbour that John was traded, John stormed out of the room and Al just walked back into his office, sat behind his desk and cried. It's the only trade Al cried over during his tenure as Islander's coach. I wish I could document that, but here's my resource...at least half the Islander fan base..we all cried. Yes, Gretzky and the Oilers had begun their run, but something was officially over when John Tonelli was traded to Calgary and everyone knew it.


The night of the trade, amazingly, the Islanders played the Calgary Flames at Nassau Coliseum. Mike Bossy scored four goals with his new linemate Richie Kromm who was acquired in the deal for Tonelli. Kromm would go on to score 27 goals over parts of 7 seasons with the Islanders...a career total that wouldn't even match Tonelli's three top seasons with the Islanders(42,35,31). John Tonelli and his new Flames team would go on to eliminate Wayne Gretzky and the two time Stanley Cup champion Edmonton Oilers from the playoffs in the Smythe Division Finals that year. The Islanders would get swept 3 games to 0 in the first round of the Patrick Division playoffs by the Washington Capitals. In his book, Wayne Gretzky states that the Flames acquisition of Tonelli that year was a big reason for the Flame's success. It's also part of the reason why the Islander's are still the last team in professional sports to have four consecutive championships. All this doesn't alter or negate Tonelli's legacy or his proper place in Islander's history, which hasn't been recorded anywhere yet. It really should be.  I know some fans aren't old enough to remember him play, but if you've ever taken an ounce of pride in four Stanley Cups and nineteen straight playoff series victories, it's something we should all want to see get done at the Nassau Coliseum. 
Photo Credit:Marc Gilman

And don't just ask me, check out these links...
1) If you're a fan of the "Dynasty Era" Isles and John Tonelli come join us on facebook. I'll have to be altering the name of the group soon. Special thanks to the 450+ who have joined and shared memories of Tonelli and the Dynasty Isles already: https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/488398081273142/
2) If you would like to see John Tonelli honored by the Islanders you can sign here: https://www.change.org/p/new-york-islanders-corporate-offices-john-tonelli-s-27-should-be-retired-before-the-islanders-move-to-brooklyn
3) Follow me on Twitter and I'll follow back, I'm tuned in during games: @tommyhendo
4) If anyone knows the guy who screams "Retire his number!" at 24:10 of this video, give him a call and tell him I am his long lost brother... Isles Core of the Four Night 
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: ,
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)