Tonight, Josh Bailey will play in his 1,000th game in the NHL, every single one of them with the New York Islanders. He will become only the third player in Islanders history to achieve that milestone in their uniform alone, joining Denis Potvin and Bryan Trottier.
It’s a great milestone for perhaps the most polarizing player in Islanders lore. I have my frustrations watching Bailey, but I have always liked what Bailey brought to the table, and I have especially tried to pay attention to the little things he does because the younger guys all say he’s the smartest guy they have ever played with.