The Islanders opted to part ways with 15-year veteran Josh Bailey this offseason. Bailey was selected ninth overall by the Islanders in the 2008 draft and proceeded to play his entire 1,057 game career on Long Island. Fans have long debated Bailey’s level of play but there’s no denying that he’s been part of some memorable moments for this franchise. As Bailey seeks out a new NHL home let’s look back at some of his best highlights as an Islander.
“Hey, Josh Bailey (ooh, aah), I wanna know, will you score a goal?
It would be impossible to talk about Bailey’s career without mentioning the infamous song that followed him. The parody of DJ Otzi’s “Hey Baby” was initially as a taunt when Bailey was struggling to find the back of the net. Over the years, the song turned from an insult to a rallying cry. Singing it became a beloved fan tradition to support one of the franchise’s mainstays, especially when he did score a goal.
The 2017-18 season was something special for Josh Bailey. Playing on the first line with Anders Lee and John Tavares he put together the best season of his career. His 18 goals, 53 assists and 73 total points all rank as career highs. He additionally accumulated 31 power play points, a total which doubles his next highest total in that department. Bailey’s elite point production in this season earned him his first and only career All-Star nod. He got to join Tavares for the 2018 All-Star Game while also competing in the fastest skater competition.
There was a lot of ugliness in this season with the Islanders missing the playoffs and the impending free agency of Tavares. But seeing Bailey put together this outstanding season after years of work was a significant bright spot. And Bailey was adequately rewarded for this performance, earning a six year $30 million contract extension that he just recently got bought out of.
Bailey was no stranger to overtime winners across his Islanders tenure. However, when looking back at career, there are two in particular that stand out. The first came in game one against the Penguins of the 2019 postseason.
Things started to look a little bleak after the Islanders surrendered a 3-2 lead in the dying minutes of regulation. But early into the overtime period Mat Barzal fired a backhander off of the post with Bailey flying in to clean up the rebound and win the game. The home crowd at Nassau Coliseum erupted into cheers as the Islanders took a crucial game one victory in an eventual sweep of their bitter rivals. On top of the OT winner, Bailey produced two more goals and an assist in this series.
After breaking the Penguins’ hearts in 2018, Bailey would do it again in the 2021 postseason. With the series knotted at two, the Islanders needed a game five win in Pittsburgh to try and win the series back on Long Island. It was a tightly contested game that went all the way to double overtime. It was in that double overtime period where Tristan Jarry misplayed the puck and allowed Bailey to score on a prime chance. The Islanders took a 3-2 lead back home and proceeded to win the series in six.
Getting to the 1,000 game threshold is no easy feat in the NHL. It’s a combination of skill and endurance that not many are able to achieve. Bailey hit the 1,000 game marker on October 28th, 2022 when he suited up on the road against the Hurricanes. In that game he produced the game winning goal in an eventual 6-2 victory. He was honored at UBS Arena the following night in a pregame ceremony.
Bailey joined some elite company in not only playing 1,000 NHL games but playing 1,000 games with the Islanders. Bryan Trottier and Denis Potvin are the only other players to play 1,000 games in an Islanders uniform. While the 2021-22 season was pretty tough for Bailey, hitting this milestone is a career achievement he and his family will never forget.
Featured image courtesy of NHL.com
Check out our NHL page for more updates!
You can like The Game Haus on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for more sports and esports articles from great TGH writers like Justin!
Players must be 21 years of age or older or reach the minimum age for gambling in their respective state and located in jurisdictions where online gambling is legal. Please play responsibly. Bet with your head, not over it. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, and wants help, call or visit: (a) the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey at 1-800-Gambler or www.800gambler.org; or (b) Gamblers Anonymous at 855-2-CALL-GA or www.gamblersanonymous.org.
