During the second intermission of the Montreal Canadiens and Buffalo Sabers‘ Game 4 matchup, it was shared that New York Islanders alumnus Josh Bailey will be enshrined in the New York State Hockey Hall of Fame this summer.
The announcement came as ESPN announced broadcaster Steve Levy will be a part of this year’s class. Sharing the announcement on the air, Bailey was named one of eight inductees in this year’s class.
Bailey, a lifetime Islander, was drafted with the 9th overall pick in the 2008 NHL Draft. The forward became a mainstay after his debut on Nov. 11, 2008, playing in 1,057 games with the franchise. He is one of only three players to reach the milestone with the team.
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He recorded 184 goals and 396 assists for 580 points in 15 seasons on Long Island. He sits in fourth and seventh in Islanders history in assists and points, respectively.
However, the playoffs were where Bailey truly made his mark. In 71 games, he recorded 16 goals and 34 assists for 50 points, helping New York to a pair of third-round appearances in his career. He also added a pair of overtime winners, both against the Pittsburgh Penguins, including his iconic Game 1 goal in the team’s first postseason game back at Nassau Coliseum in 2019.
His Islanders career came to a close on June 29, 2023, when he was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks with a second-round pick for future considerations. His contract was brought out later that afternoon, and Bailey didn’t play another NHL game despite signing a pro tryout with the Ottawa Senators the following preseason.
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Today, Bailey can be found in the broadcast booth, working alongside Alan Fuehring on Islanders broadcasts on the New York Islanders Radio Network.
He will become the fifth Islanders player to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Forward John Tonelli was enshrined in 2023, and legends Ken Morrow, Denis Potvin and Ed Westfall joined him one year later. Hall of Fame journalist Stan Fischler was also inducted in 2023.
The 2026 Induction Ceremony will take place on July 12 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Troy. More information is available here.
