The decade-long thaw between the Islanders and Pat LaFontaine came to a happy and emotional end Saturday.
LaFontaine was finally, deservedly, cathartically inducted into the Islanders’ Hall of Fame and Ring of Honor in an emotional pregame ceremony with most of his family looking on just before the start of the Islanders shootout win over the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The 60-year-old, who still lives on Long Island and runs his Champions in Courage Foundation long after his playing career ended, blew past his allotted three minutes of speaking time, in large part because he had so many people to thank.
He also grew emotional when talking about his family members who couldn’t be in attendance: son-in-law Randal McCoy and his wife, Mary Beth.
McCoy, he said, died of ALS just a week ago, whereas Mary Beth is having health issues.
LaFontaine called her his “best friend” and dedicated the honor to her.
He then called his grandson, Patrick, up to the microphone to give a “Let’s go Islanders” to the crowd.
“I thought about the time I came here and all the things I learned as a 19-year-old. You don’t really understand until you get older, then you realize playing with guys like Brian Trottier and [Mike Bossy] and Denny [Potvin] and Clarkie [Gillies], all these guys, Billy [Smith], you learn so much,” LaFontaine said. “And then you have gratitude and appreciation for the fact that you realize those guys really helped shape you as a player and a person.”
This was a day that seemed unlikely to happen.
Not because LaFontaine, who was controversially traded from Long Island to Buffalo in 1992, wasn’t deserving, but because of the falling out between LaFontaine and the Islanders after general manager Neil Smith was fired after six weeks on the job in 2006.
LaFontaine had been brought in as an advisor to Smith and resigned in protest.
He was omitted from the team’s 40th anniversary celebrations in 2012 and his relationship with then-owner Charles Wang never recovered.
LaFontaine, who was controversially traded from Long Island to Buffalo in 1992, had been brought in as an advisor to Smith and resigned out of protest.
He was omitted from the team’s 40th anniversary celebrations in 2012, and his relationship with then-owner Charles Wang never recovered.
In recent years, with the Isles under new management, he has been a more frequent face around UBS.
He’s appeared at games in the same ambassador role as other alumni, as well as the team’s annual golf outing.
His omission from the team’s Hall of Fame — and the Ring of Honor, once it was constructed a year ago — was still a glaring reminder of a final step that needed to be taken.
“I credit ownership,” he said. “It all starts at the top. I’ve always been a principled guy. I’ve always let it guide me. So I never say anything but I always believe things have a way of coming around if you stick to your values, stick to your morals. “Last night and tonight, I was very touched by the fact that it feels like home again. It wasn’t like that for a while.”
Jonathan Drouin (lower back) returned to the lineup, playing on the left side of Mat Barzal on the first line.
Bo Horvat (lower body) was out and remained day-to-day, so Jean-Gabriel Pageau shifted back to center Anders Lee and Max Shabanov on the second line.
