On Saturday, Brent Sutter enters the Islanders Hall Of Fame.
Saturday marks a special day for the New York Islanders as they enshrine Stanley Cup champion Brent Sutter into the franchise's Hall of Fame. He becomes the 16th player and 18th member to be honored in the franchise's exclusive group.
The ceremony will take place at 7:30 PM ET before the Islanders battle the San Jose Sharks.
The induction is also monumental, as the Hall of Fame hasn't welcomed a new member since Kenny Jonsson in 2012. His new place in the Hall of Fame is likely to start a revival of the Islanders, honoring generations of names that meant so much to the franchise.
However, which names are the most likely to follow in the coming years?
Josh Bailey
Beginning the conversation is Josh Bailey, one of the longest tenured Islanders in franchise history.
In 1.057 career games, all with the Islanders, he recorded 184 goals and 396 assists for 580 points, making the All-Star team in 2017-18. He also sits high up in the franchise's all-time leaderboard, sitting third in games played, fourth in assists, and seventh in total points.
Even if he may not have been the most prolific goal scorer, clocking in a career-high 18 in 2017-18, he had a knack for the timely ones. In 71 postseason games, he recorded 16 goals and 34 assists for 50 points, contributing to six playoff teams and a pair of runs to the Third Round of the postseason.
From his game-winner in Game 1 against the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2019 to his Game 5 dagger two years later, he had a knack for stepping up in the big spots. Even if he may be a divisive figure among the fanbase, his loyalty and clutch performances have made him a fan favorite and a popular pick to be inducted down the road.
Pat LaFontaine
Another potential fit into the Islanders Hockey Hall of Famer is Pat LaFontaine. One of the great players just after the Islanders' dynasty, he recorded 287 goals and 279 assists for 566 points, sitting fifth and eighth all time in goals and points, respectively.
Most famously, he is known for the game-winner in the Islanders' Easter Epic victory over the Washington Capitals in the 1987 playoffs.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_XfSlmMw6M[/embed]
LaFontaine remained a driving force for the team in the post-Stanley Cup years, making four All-Star teams and scoring over 40 goals four times in eight seasons with the Islanders. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2003 and named to the NHL's 100 Greatest Players list in 2017.
With his high standing with both the Islanders and the hockey world and an iconic moment in franchise history, the forward is another strong candidate to see his name honored by the franchise.
Stefan Persson:
Although the Islanders were headlined by Hall of Fame talent during their dynasty, one of their unsung heroes was Stefan Persson. The Swedish defenseman played nine years in the league, all with the Islanders, tallying 52 goals and 317 assists for 369 points in 622 games.
He also held a spot in the top 10 for the most assists by an Islander prior to Mathew Barzal moving into 10th this season.
He also had a knack as a playoff performer in those days, recording seven goals and 50 assists for 57 points en route to four Stanley Cup victories, including five of them in 1980's playoff run. However, Persson was also a pioneer for Swedish hockey.
He and Islanders teammate Anders Kallur were the first Swedes to win hockey's greatest prize; both were the first European-born and trained players to do so. As a result, given his standing as a backbone to Stanley Cup teams and a trailblazer for Swedish hockey, he has a strong case for induction into the Islanders Hall of Fame.
Billy Harris:
The last name on the list is an original Islander, Billy Harris.
The first-ever draft choice in franchise history, Harris played eight seasons with the franchise, recording 184 goals and 259 assists for 443 points in 623 games. He finished top three in Calder Trophy voting in his rookie year and made the All-Star team in 1976 when he scored a career-high 32 goals that season.
Even if Harris was ultimately dealt to the Los Angeles Kings in the trade that landed the Islanders Butch Goring, Harris was a day-one Islander that set the franchise on the right track.
Even if he didn't take on the veteran presence like Ed Westfall did in the franchise's early days, he was one of the original Islanders who helped them to their success before taking home championships, making a Hall of Fame induction a worthy reward for his contributions in the Islanders' early days.
However, a list of candidates doesn't merely stop at these names. Brock Nelson and Anders Lee continue to rewrite the record books, entering the top 10 in goals in franchise history. In fact, Nelson enters Saturday's induction night in a tie with Sutter and LaFontaine for fifth in franchise history in goals with 287.
Despite his unpopular departure, John Tavares even has an interesting case, sitting ninth all-time in goals (272), sixth in assists (349), and fifth in points (621) in Islanders history. As an active NHL'er, however, that conversation is for another time.
Regardless, seeing the Islanders reopen the doors to the Hall of Fame is certainly welcome.
Sutter's induction will give opportunities for the Islanders to honor several generations of their history, and these names can act as a starting point for its revival.