The former Islanders forward joins hockey legends after a storied 1,057-game tenure defined by iconic playoff overtime winners and becoming just the third player in franchise history to reach the millennium mark.
The New York State Hockey Hall of Fame inducted Josh Bailey into its 2026 Class, joining 15 other new members.
The class included ex-New York Islanders and New York Rangers General Manager Neil Smith.
Bailey's career with the Islanders ended after the 2022-23 season, a season where Bailey reached the 1,000 game plateau.
He's only the third Islander to ever play 1,000 games with the franchise, with Denis Potvin and Bryan Trottier being the other two.
Bailey played 1,057 total regular-season games for the franchise, posting 184 goals and 580 points. Bailey added 71 playoff games to resume, with 16 goals and 50 points.
Two of the biggest goals in recent Islanders history were scored by Bailey, both overtime winners.
First, Bailey won Game 1 of the 2019 first round against the Pittsburgh Penguins, with Brendan Burke's famous "Game 1, to the Island" call still resonating to this day.
That game announced the Islanders arrival under Barry Trotz and Lou Lamoriello, as they went on to sweep the Pittsburgh Penguins in that first round.
Two years later, the Penguins and Islanders squared off again. This time, the series found itself tied at two games a piece, and heading into double overtime of Game 5.
Bailey, gifted an opportunity by Tristan Jarry, made no mistake.
With those moments, and plenty of other clutch goals, to go with the longest-tenured Islander since the dynasty era, Bailey became a fixture of New York Hockey, making him a no-brainer induction.
