Good Evening, Islanders Country.
It’s about time.
For over two decades, one of the most obvious absences from the Islanders Hall of Fame was Pat LaFontaine. Fans have whispered it, debated it, and even rolled their eyes every time another ceremony went by without the man who delivered one of the most iconic goals in franchise history.
Now, at long last, the Islanders are making it right.
LaFontaine will officially join the team’s Hall of Fame on December 13 when the Isles host Tampa Bay, becoming the 17th member of the prestigious group. And while the honor is special, it’s also overdue.
Let’s be honest—how could LaFontaine not have already been up there alongside Bossy, Trottier, Potvin, Morrow, and Sutter? This is the guy who racked up 566 points in 530 games, the guy who scored four straight 40-goal seasons, the guy who ended the Easter Epic with one of the most memorable overtime goals in NHL history. He wasn’t just good; he was electric. Every time he touched the puck, fans at Nassau Coliseum buzzed.
To walk into UBS Arena and see the names of so many Islanders greats without LaFontaine’s was jarring. Now, that wrong is being corrected. Was there a rift between him and the organization after he demanded a trade and was sent to the Buffalo Sabres? Yes, of course. But whatever coldness there was had thawed out years ago - this announcement was only a matter of when, and I am thrilled that the day came to make it official.
What makes this even sweeter is that LaFontaine’s ties to Long Island never faded. He still lives here. His family’s roots are here. This isn’t just honoring a former star—it’s embracing a part of the Islanders’ identity that’s been here all along.
So, yes, it has been a glaring omission, and yes, this should have happened years ago. But finally, the Isles have given LaFontaine the place he’s always deserved in their Hall of Fame. Come December, when his name goes up in the UBS Arena Ring of Honor, it won’t just be a ceremony—it’ll be a celebration of righting one of the biggest oversights in franchise history.
📚 SOUND SMART: Pat LaFontaine’s 1.17 points per game (1,013 points over 865 games) is the best among American-born ice hockey players, active or retired. In 2017, LaFontaine was named one of the "100 Greatest NHL Players" in history.
🎥 ISLES REWIND: On April 19, 1987, Pat LaFontaine scored at 8:47 of quadruple overtime, as the Islanders beat the Washington Capitals 4-3 in Game Seven of the Patrick Division semifinals. The game ended in the early hours of Sunday, the 19th, and is remembered as the "Easter Epic." Kelly Hrudey stopped a then-NHL record 73 shots in the win. It remains the longest game in Islanders history and the 11th-longest playoff game in NHL history.
History was made.
🔗 LaFontaine ‘Fortunate and Honored’ to be Named to the Islanders Hall of Fame via NewYorkIslanders.com “LaFontaine’s special night will take place on Dec. 13 when the Islanders host the Tampa Bay Lightning at UBS Arena. He'll be surrounded by his family - his wife Mary Beth and children Daniel, Brianna, and Sarah - former Islanders teammates and current Islanders Hall of Fame members for an on-ice ceremony.”
🔗 Islanders inducting Pat LaFontaine into team Hall of Fame to formally end long rift by Ethan Sears, New York Post “His induction ends, officially, a rift between No. 16 and the organization that dates back to 1991-92, when LaFontaine demanded a trade amid contract negotiations that were going nowhere. He was sent to the Sabres ahead of that season in a deal that brought back Pierre Turgeon.”
And we leave you with this…the excerpt from my book New York Islanders A to Z about Pat LaFontaine and the E is for Easter Epic.
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