The Islanders and TVA Sports, the French-language network in Canada where he worked as a hockey analyst, have confirmed Bossi’s death. A spokesman for the group said Bossi was in Montreal’s hometown. Bossy revealed his diagnosis in October in a letter to TVA Sports. “I have to leave your screens with a lot of regret, for a necessary pause,” Bossy wrote in French. “I intend to fight with all the determination and fire you saw me show on the ice.” It is the third defeat since that time of the islanders this year, after his Hockey teammate Clark Gillis died in January and Jean Potvin in March. Tanya Bossy’s daughter said her father “was no longer in pain”. “My dad loved hockey, for sure, but first and foremost he loved life,” he said in a statement in French on behalf of the Bossy family. “Until the end of his journey, he stayed. He wanted to live longer than anything else.”

Nine seasons with 50 goals

Bossy helped the Islanders win the Stanley Cup from 1980-83, winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as MVP of the playoffs in 1982. He scored the cup-winning goal in 1982 and ’83. Bossy made his first qualifying round in 1977 and played his entire 10-year NHL career with New York. He won the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year, won the Lady Byng trophy for gentleman three times and led the league to goals twice. We are saddened to learn of Mike Bossy’s death this morning. Our thoughts and condolences are addressed to his friends, family, former teammates and colleagues of TVA Sports. A legend of our game that will be missed a lot. pic.twitter.com/K5qLpt0NjC – @ CanadiensMTL
Bossi has scored 50 or more goals in each of his first nine seasons – the longest streak in the league. He and Wayne Gretzky are the only players in the history of hockey with nine seasons with 50 goals. “The New York Islanders mourn the loss of Mike Bossy, an icon not only on Long Island but throughout the hockey world,” said Lou Lamoriello, president and general manager of the Islanders. “Trying to be the best every time he stepped on the ice was unparalleled. Together with his teammates, he helped win four consecutive Stanley Cups, shaping the history of this franchise forever.” Bossi is one of five players to score 50 goals in 50 games. He remains the all-time leading scorer in a regular season game with 0.762, and only two players have scored more hat-tricks than Bossi’s 39. Ranked third in points in a game and seventh on the all-time leading scorers list. All this is in the regular season, when Bossy put some of the best numbers in the history of the game. In the playoffs, Bossi was even more clutchy. He is the only player with four winners in the same playoff series and has scored three goals in the playoffs in overtime.

Part of the island hockey dynasty

Led by Bossy, Gillies, Bryan Trottier and defender Denis Potvin, the Islanders succeeded Scotty Bowman’s 1970 Montreal Canadiens as the next NHL dynasty before Gretzky’s Edmonton Oilers took over. Bossi was an All-Star eight times and finished with 573 goals and 553 assists for 1,126 points in 752 regular season games. He was the fastest player to reach 100 goals and is currently ranked 22nd on his career goals list. In the playoffs, Bossi had 160 points in 129 games. NY Islanders coach Al Arbor, left, talks to Bossy, his top scorer, during a training break in Denver, Colo, in this photo taken on March 17, 1982. (Ed Andrieski / The Associated Press )
Back and knee injuries eventually ended his career in 1987. He was reduced to 38 goals in 63 games and could not return for an 11th season. Bossy was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1991 and in 2017 was named one of the NHL Top 100 Players. “My advice to you, child, is to remember more. And to love your time more …” In this letter Mike Bossy writes to his younger self. Read his stories from his point of view and much more.< a href=“https://t.co/gXZQ4U0Dzt">https://t.co/gXZQ4U0Dzt – @ NYIslanders
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has called Bossy a “dynamic winger” whose scoring prowess ranks among the top in NHL history. “Although limiting him was the obsession of the opposing coaches and controlling the focus of the opposing players, Bossi’s brilliance was unstoppable and his production relentless throughout his career,” said Batman. “It excited the fans as few others did.” Before reaching the NHL, Bossy played five seasons in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League with Laval National. He had 602 points in 298 QMJHL games. Bossy also represented Canada in the Canada Cup in 1981 and 1984, shortly before NHL players began attending the Winter Olympics.