New York Islanders great and hockey Hall of Famer Clark Gillies on Thursday had a message for fans in Brooklyn: By the time the team arrives, they should be ready to compete for a Stanley Cup.
Speaking at a fan event on Long Island, Gillies said that while he was personally disappointed the team wasn't staying near its current home in Nassau County, the move west was exciting because "at the end of the day we are going to be moving into a new building and I think people will enjoy going to the Barclays Center. From what I understand, it's beautiful."
For Brooklynites who aren't familiar with Clark Gillies:
- He won four Stanley Cup titles for the Islanders from 1980 to 1983
- He was elected to the hockey Hall of Fame in 2002
- Clark's No. 9 hangs from the rafters at the Nassau Coliseum. It will do the same at the Barclays Center
- He is considered one of the all-time great National Hockey League tough guys and scored 319 career goals.
