Editing New York Islanders (section)

===The NHL heads to Long Island (1972–1974)===
In fall 1972, the emerging [[World Hockey Association]] (WHA) planned to place its New York team, the [[New York Golden Blades|New York Raiders]], in [[Nassau County, New York|Nassau County]]'s brand-new [[Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum]].<ref name="IslesRangers">{{cite web|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/hockey/rangers/rangers-islanders-rivalry-article-1.1601683|title=Rangers vs. Islanders: The Rivalry|last=Ng|first=Rob|work=[[Daily News (New York)|Daily News]]|location=New York|date=January 29, 2014|access-date=January 18, 2015}}</ref> County officials did not consider the WHA a major league and wanted to keep the Raiders out.<ref name="Raiders">{{cite web|url=http://www.whahockey.com/raiders.html|title=New York Raiders|work=World Hockey Associations|access-date=January 18, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150419111503/http://www.whahockey.com/raiders.html|archive-date=April 19, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[William Shea]], who had helped bring [[Major League Baseball]]'s [[New York Mets]] to the area a decade earlier, was enlisted to bring an NHL team to Long Island. Although Shea had previously worked with upstart rival leagues including the aborted [[Continental League]], the [[American Football League]] and the [[American Basketball Association]], his ultimate goal in these efforts had always been to try to persuade the established leagues to grant second franchises to New York as had been the case with the Mets (and also with the [[New York Jets]] and [[New York Nets]], as a result of those teams' leagues merging with their established rivals).

[[File:William Shea.jpg|thumb|upright|left|[[William Shea]] played a major role in bringing a hockey team to Long Island.]]
In contrast, Shea decided there was no need to work with the WHA since unlike the initial results of his previous approaches to established leagues in the other major sports, Shea immediately found NHL president [[Clarence Campbell]] to be receptive to adding a second team in New York. Nevertheless, the Islanders' bid faced opposition from the [[New York Rangers]], who did not want additional competition in the New York area.<ref name="NCBook">{{cite book|last=Hirshon|first=Nicholas|title=Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jz1EZBzMy5sC|access-date=January 18, 2015|year=2010|publisher=Arcadia Publishing|isbn=978-0-7385-7357-1}}</ref> Eventually, Campbell and Shea persuaded the Rangers' owners, [[Madison Square Garden]], to reconsider. Rangers' president [[William M. Jennings|Bill Jennings]] weighed pros and cons. Another local NHL team would be compelled to compensate the Rangers for sharing the New York area. On the other hand, a WHA team would owe the Rangers nothing unless it was included in a potential NHL–WHA merger, a prospect to which both Campbell and Jennings were adamantly opposed. Finally, consenting to the establishment of an NHL franchise in suburban Nassau County would help to ensure the vast majority of the Rangers' fanbase within New York City proper would continue to support the older franchise, and reduced the prospect of a rival league eventually establishing a team and fanbase there. Perhaps remembering the crucial role the Jets had played in ensuring the success of the AFL just a few years earlier as a challenger of the [[National Football League]], Jennings decided to help bring a new NHL team to the New York metropolitan area.<ref name="BOAD">{{cite book|last1=Hahn|first1=Alan|last2=Nystrom|first2=Bob|title=Birth of a Dynasty: The 1980 New York Islanders|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=no8-Q-ZE1z0C|access-date=January 18, 2015|year=2004|publisher=Sports Publishing LLC|isbn=1582613338}}</ref>

Despite expanding to 14 teams just two years prior, the NHL awarded a [[Long Island]]-based franchise to clothing manufacturer [[Roy Boe]], owner of the [[American Basketball Association]]'s [[New York Nets]], on November 8, 1971.<ref name="BOAD"/> The terms included $6&nbsp;million (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|6|1972|r=2}}}}&nbsp;million in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}}) franchise fee plus a $5&nbsp;million (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|5|1972|r=2}}}}&nbsp;million in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}}) territorial fee to the Rangers.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1314&dat=19770302&id=yztOAAAAIBAJ&pg=4429,313906|title=Franchise fees reduced|date=March 2, 1977|agency=[[Associated Press]]|access-date=May 9, 2014}}</ref> An expansion franchise was also given to [[Atlanta]] (the [[Atlanta Flames|Flames]]) to keep the schedule balanced and to prevent the WHA from entering the growing market at the newly built [[Omni Coliseum]].<ref name="NCBook"/>

The New York Islanders name was unveiled by the franchise on February 15, 1972, at a [[press conference]] held across the street from [[Roosevelt Raceway]] at a restaurant owned by [[Burt Bacharach]].<ref name="genyt720216w">{{cite web |last1=Eskenazi |first1=Gerald |title=L.I. Hockey Club Hires Ex-Oakland Aide |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1972/02/16/archives/li-hockey-club-hires-exoakland-aide.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=February 9, 2023 |date=February 16, 1972}}</ref> Many expected it to use the "[[Long Island Ducks (ice hockey)|Long Island Ducks]]", after the [[Eastern Hockey League]] team that played from 1959 to 1973.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nhl.com/news/nhl-team-nickname-origins-explained/c-283976168?tid=277548856|title=NHL team nicknames explained|publisher=National Hockey League}}</ref> The team was soon nicknamed the "Isles" by the local newspapers. The Islanders' arrival effectively doomed the Raiders, who played in Madison Square Garden under difficult lease terms and were forced to move to [[Cherry Hill, New Jersey]] in the middle of their second season.<ref name="Raiders"/>

Former [[California Golden Seals]] executive vice president [[Bill Torrey]] was named as the team's general manager at the same press conference as the franchise's name unveiling.<ref name="genyt720216w"/> The Islanders secured veteran forward [[Ed Westfall]], defenseman [[Gerry Hart]], and goaltender [[Billy Smith (ice hockey)|Billy Smith]] in the [[1972 NHL expansion draft|1972 expansion draft]], along with [[junior ice hockey]] stars [[Billy Harris (ice hockey, born 1952)|Billy Harris]], [[Lorne Henning]], and [[Bobby Nystrom]] in the [[1972 NHL amateur draft|1972 amateur draft]].<ref name="AaronBook">{{cite book|last=Frisch|first=Aaron|title=The History of the New York Islanders|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GohkyTSxuEEC&q=new+york+islanders+history|access-date=January 18, 2015|year=2004|publisher=[[Creative Education Foundation]]|isbn=1-58341-276-X}}</ref> Soon after the draft, [[Phil Goyette]] was named as the team's first head coach, however he was fired halfway through the season and replaced with [[Earl Ingarfield Sr.|Earl Ingarfield]] and assistant coach [[Aut Erickson]].<ref name="Newsday">{{cite web|url=http://www.newsday.com/sports/hockey/islanders/the-ultimate-new-york-islanders-timeline-1.9473444|title=The ultimate New York Islanders timeline|date=October 11, 2014|work=[[Newsday]]|access-date=January 14, 2015}}</ref> Unlike most other expansion teams' general managers, Torrey made few trades for veteran players in the early years, as he was committed to building the team through the draft. Torrey stated, "I told the owners that we're not going to beat this team next door by taking the castoffs from others teams. We'd have to develop our own stars."<ref name="AaronBook"/> Before the season began, Westfall was named the team's first captain.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Fischler |first1=Stan |title=Maven's Memories: Ed Westfall Leads Young Isles |url=https://www.nhl.com/islanders/news/mavens-memories-ed-westfall-leads-young-isles/c-299929742 |website=NHL.com |access-date=April 4, 2019 |date=September 3, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=New York Islanders' Greatest of All-Time |url=https://thehockeywriters.com/the-greatest-all-time-new-york-islanders/ |website=The Hockey Writers |access-date=April 4, 2019 |date=February 4, 2017}}</ref>

By September 1972, the Islanders were waiting for the Nassau Coliseum to be completed as well as their practice facility "The Royal Ice Rink" in [[Kings Park, New York|Kings Park]]. The team was forced to practice as late as October 6, the day before their first game, at the Rangers practice rink in [[New Hyde Park, New York|New Hyde Park]].<ref name="Eskenazi">{{cite web |last1=Eskenazi |first1=Gerald |title=Islanders Make Debut Tonight In L.I. Rink |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1972/10/07/archives/islanders-make-debut-tonight-in-li-rink-rangers-at-wings.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=April 30, 2020 |date=October 7, 1972}}</ref>

The Islanders' first win came on October 12, 1972, in a 3–2 game against the [[Los Angeles Kings]].<ref name="Newsday"/> In the team's first season, young players such as Smith, Nystrom, and Henning (all of whom would be part of the Islanders dynasty of the early 1980s) were given chances to prove themselves in the NHL. The young and inexperienced expansion team, however, posted a record of 12–60–6, setting an NHL record for most losses and worst overall record in a season.<ref name="AaronBook"/><ref name="Potvin2014">{{cite web|url=http://www.newsday.com/sports/hockey/islanders/islander-legend-denis-potvin-impressed-with-gm-garth-snow-s-moves-1.9659501|title=Islanders legend Denis Potvin impressed with GM Garth Snow's moves|last=Herrmann|first=Mark|date=November 27, 2014|access-date=January 18, 2015|work=[[Newsday]]}}</ref> A highlight occurred on January 18, 1973, when they defeated the defending [[Stanley Cup]] champion [[Boston Bruins]] 9–7.<ref name="Newsday"/>

Finishing last in the standings that season, they received the right to select first in the [[1973 NHL amateur draft|1973 draft]].<ref name="Potvin2014"/> Off the ice, the Islanders struggled financially, a situation that was exacerbated by the then-unprecedented $11 million in franchise and territorial fees. [[Montreal Canadiens]]' general manager [[Sam Pollock]] was keen to acquire the Islanders' pick so he could draft French Canadian junior star defenseman [[Denis Potvin]], who had been touted as "the next [[Bobby Orr]]" when he was 14 years old. Pollock made several lucrative trade offers including cash to the Islanders, but Torrey turned the Canadiens down and selected Potvin with the first overall pick.<ref name="BOAD"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1985-11-20/sports/8502210882_1_islanders-denis-potvin-stanley-cups|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150118235351/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1985-11-20/sports/8502210882_1_islanders-denis-potvin-stanley-cups|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 18, 2015|title=Hot Soul on Ice Defenseman Potvin Settles Down And Finds No Man Is The Islanders|last=Finn|first=David|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=November 20, 1985|access-date=January 18, 2015}}</ref> During the off-season, Torrey convinced former [[St. Louis Blues]] coach [[Al Arbour]] to come coach the Islanders.<ref name="BOAD"/> Even with Arbour as the team's head coach and Potvin, who won the [[Calder Memorial Trophy]] as NHL Rookie of the Year, the team again finished last in the [[East Division (NHL)|East Division]] during the [[1973–74 NHL season|1973–74 season]], but allowed 100 fewer goals than the previous season. The season included their first win against the Rangers, on October 27, 1973,<ref name="IslesRangers"/> which also happened to be the game where Potvin scored his first NHL goal. Although they failed to make the playoffs, their 56 points represented a 26-point improvement from the previous season.<ref name="BOAD"/>