The NHL is celebrating the best of the past 25 years by revealing Quarter-Century Teams for each of the League's 32 franchises and the Arizona Coyotes.
Each club will be represented by a first team and second team of six players -- three forwards, two defensemen and one goalie -- who played for the franchise from Jan. 1, 2000, to Dec. 31, 2024. The first and second teams were selected by broadcasters, national writers and local writers and NHL.com writers who have covered the respective teams, in addition to select former players.
The six players voted to each First Team will be on the ballot for the NHL All Quarter-Century Team that will be chosen via a fan vote that will start in February.
Today, the First and Second Quarter-Century Teams for the New York Islanders. Players are listed in alphabetical order.
NEW YORK ISLANDERS QUARTER-CENTURY TEAM
First Team
Forwards
- Josh Bailey
- Brock Nelson
- John Tavares
Defensemen
- Nick Leddy
- Adam Pelech
Goalie
- Ilya Sorokin
Forwards: Selected in the first round (No. 9) of the 2008 NHL Draft, Bailey played each of his 15 seasons with the Islanders (2008-23), tied with Denis Potvin and Bryan Trottier for the most in team history. His 580 points (184 goals, 396 assists) in 1,057 regular-season games are second to Tavares' 621 in the quarter century and he had 50 points (16 goals, 34 assists) in 71 Stanley Cup Playoff games to help New York reach the third round in back-to-back seasons (2020, '21). Nelson, who will represent the United States at the 4 Nations Face-Off from Feb. 12-20, had 552 points (285 goals, 267 assists) in 878 regular-season games, 50 points (27 goals, 23 assists) in 78 playoff games and took part in the 2023 All-Star Weekend. Tavares, the No. 1 pick of the 2009 NHL Draft, played his first seven seasons for the Islanders. He had 22 points (11 goals, 11 assists) in 24 playoff games, including the double-overtime goal in Game 6 of the 2016 Eastern Conference First Round against the Florida Panthers to secure New York's first postseason series victory since 1993. Tavares, who was Islanders captain from 2013-18, was named an All-Star five times (2012, '15, '16, '17, '18).
Defensemen: Leddy played seven seasons for New York after being acquired in a trade with the Chicago Blackhawks on Oct. 4, 2014. His 243 points (45 goals, 198 assists) in 518 regular-season games led the Islanders in the quarter century. Pelech had 145 points (26 goals, 119 assists) in 518 regular-season games through Dec. 31, 2024, and 16 points (three goals, 13 assists) in 59 playoff games and was named a 2022 NHL All Star.
Goalie: Sorokin has been as advertised since arriving six years after being selected in the third round (No. 78) of the 2014 NHL Draft. The 29-year-old's 19 shutouts led the Islanders in the quarter century. He was named a finalist for the 2023 Vezina Trophy after going 31-22-7 with a 2.34 goals-against average, .924 save percentage and six shutouts. In 14 playoff games (12 starts), he is 6-6 with a 2.83 GAA and .921 save percentage.