Patrick Roy waxed poetic about the Islanders’ dynasty in his first press conference as the team’s head coach, then revealed a personal connection the next day.
Mike Bossy, a Montreal native, was Roy’s neighbor when he played for the Canadiens and one of his daughters babysat for the family.
“One day I was at a game and one of my sons put his head between the rail in the stairs,” Roy recalled. “And his head was stuck there.
“So Mike had to come over, he cut that thing, it opened up so my son’s head could come out. But yes, I did [know him].”
Bossy, who won four Stanley Cups with the Islanders, died in 2022 at age 65 following a battle with brain cancer.
“It’s so sad what happened to him,” Roy said. “He was so good also for TVA [the French-Canadian television station for which Bossy worked]. He was a passionate person and loved the game and made his mark with the Islanders. I’m proud to be part of this organization, the same organization as him.”
Roy has made no secret of his admiration for the Islanders’ history over his first day on the job, even talking on Sunday about the 1993 team that he helped the Canadiens beat in the Conference Finals on their way to a Cup title.
“I remember watching [Game 7 against the Penguins] on TV and I think it’s [David] Volek that scored that goal against [Tom] Barrasso and we were all like wow,” Roy said. “[Coach] Al Arbour did such a great job with that franchise. Probably the best coach who ever coached for this organization off the top of my head.
“Playing them in the playoffs, they have good fans here. They care about the team, they love their team, they support their team. Some nights, it’s tough to play here. I look forward to it.”