Islanders alumni help launch Sticks & Skates

NEW YORK -- Four key pieces of the New York Islanders' four straight Stanley Cup championships from 1980-83 were at Prospect Park in Brooklyn on Monday to help Islanders co-owner Jon Ledecky promote a community program that should help grow the game in the neighborhoods that surround Barclays Center.
Bryan Trottier, Clark Gillies, Butch Goring and Bob Nystrom were happy to answer Ledecky's call and help launch Sticks & Skates, which is run by Brooklyn Sports and Entertainment and sponsored by the Hospital for Special Surgery to teach kids the nuances of ice skating and the game of hockey.
For Trottier, it was also an opportunity to reunite with three of his former teammates.

"Familiar faces … friendly, familiar faces," said Trottier, who will be in attendance when the Islanders host the New York Rangers on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; SN1, SNO, MSG+, MSG 2, NHL.TV). "I love these guys. They're buddies for life. They're great guys. We've been through the trenches, sat in foxholes together."
Before helping kids put on their skates and head to the rink, Gillies urged them to head to LeFrak Center at Lakeside in Prospect Park every Monday and seize this great chance to skate after school.
"There's a million afterschool programs, but not very often do they get to actually come down here [and skate]," Gillies said. "It doesn't cost them a dime. They can get out there and skate around and get a little exercise and some fresh air. A lot of kids these days will go grab their iPads and sit on the couch. It's a great opportunity for these kids. I hope they take advantage of it."
Ledecky was all smiles watching Trottier, Gillies, Goring and Nystrom work with the kids at the state-of-the-art outdoor facility, located not too far from where Ledecky grew up in the Brooklyn section of Bensonhurst.
"They're great," Ledecky said. "They understand that they were kids once too. Earlier when they were talking about skating on any frozen substance they could find, they did. To have a facility of this nature and quality to teach young kids -- male and female -- it's a great feeling. It's great to be part of this, and to have the Islanders be involved in it is a very warm feeling of the holidays.
"Gosh, what … 16 [championship] rings between them. That's pretty amazing. For the kids in Brooklyn, it's a chance to learn how to skate and to learn how to play hockey, is, I think, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I know when I was a kid if I had been given that opportunity growing up in Brooklyn, I would have grabbed at it."

Much like Islanders alumni have grabbed at the opportunity to feel like a part of the organization, Gillies admitted there were times not too long that simply wasn't the case.
"We were starting to get to the point where we didn't really feel like we were that wanted," Gillies said. "[Ledecky's] been absolutely fantastic. He's an enthusiastic guy that really wants to make this work."
Nystrom, who scored the biggest goal in Islanders history when he delivered their first Stanley Cup with an overtime goal in Game 6 of the Final against the Philadelphia Flyers in 1980, echoed Gillies' sentiments.
"The whole management has been incredible the last little while," Nystrom said. "They've really reached out to the alumni, they've done so many things for us. It kind of faded for a while, and the whole feeling that we get now with the new ownership and everything is really tremendous. We want to be a part of the Islanders. Our hearts are with the Islanders, so it's nice to be invited back."
Trottier, who played for the Islanders from 1975-1990, said, "Jon's enthusiasm is true, honest, and we all sense that. It's probably contagious. I think all of us around him really enjoy the smile. He's an idea guy. That translates I think through the organization, not just the alumni, but through the organization -- the hockey department, the fans, I think everybody feels that energy that Jon distributes very well."
Ledecky, who, along with Scott Malkin became majority owners of the Islanders on July 1, said he has constant contact with former players with hopes of making them aware that they should feel welcome at Barclays Center.
"We have a great heritage," Ledecky said. "Nineteen playoff series wins in a row, that's never going to happen again in professional sports. To be able to honor these guys, and to honor all the alums who have worn the crest, is a great thing. We sent out e-mails to every single Islander alum, inviting them to come to Barclays Center. We've got their own suite for them, we have their own club. I think they are feeling the warm embrace of the Islanders in Brooklyn. It's a great opportunity to bring people from around the country who have played for the Islanders back.
"We're going to have a number of special events for them as the year goes on, and it's all about building community. So you have the fans, you have the players, you have families and you have the alumni. It all comes together and it's a great thing for the team."