New York Islanders head coach Patrick Roy has revealed that he personally knew former club legend Mike Bossy.
During his first press conference as the team's pilot, the former National League goaltender said the sniper was his neighbor while he was guarding the Montreal Canadiens' net. One of Bossy's daughters was even the guardian of Roy's children.
• Also read: Patrick Roy with the Islanders: 5 unforgettable dates until the end of the season
• Also read: Patrick Roy would have hired his former assistant Benoit Desrosiers to the Remparts
“One day I was playing a match and one of my sons stuck his head between the banister,” said the former Quebec Remparts head coach. His head was stuck there.”
“Mike had to come, he cut this thing open, opened it up so my son's head could come out. “Yes, I knew him,” he added, without revealing whether Jonathan or Frédérick had gotten themselves into this unfortunate situation.
Bossy played his entire brilliant career in the Islanders uniform. Between 1977 and 1987 he scored 573 goals and provided 553 assists for 1,126 points in 752 games. He won the Stanley Cup (four times), the Calder Trophy, the Frank J. Selke Trophy, the Conn Smythe Trophy, the Lady Byng Trophy (three times) and the Maurice Richard Trophy (twice).
The Montreal native died of brain cancer in March 2022 at the age of 65.
“It’s so sad what happened to him,” Roy said. He was so good for TVA too. He was a passionate person, he loved sports and made a name for himself with the Islanders. I’m proud to be a part of this organization, the same organization as him.”