The Trio Grande The Trio Grande was a line of professional ice hockey forward s who played together for the New York Islanders from the late 1970s through the early 1980s . The line consisted of Hall of Fame rs Bryan Trottier at center , Clark Gillies at left wing and Mike Bossy at right wing . Background . All three members of the Trio Grande were highly regarded as amateur players . The Islanders drafted Gillies 4th overall and Trottier 22nd overall in the 1974 NHL Entry Draft , and drafted Bossy 15th overall in the 1977 NHL Entry Draft . Gillies made the Islanders roster that season , while Trottier spent another year in the WCHL before joining the Islanders in 1975 – 76 , winning the Calder Trophy as Rookie of the Year and participating in the NHL All - Star Game . Formation . The Trio Grande emerged in 1977 . Bossy made the Islanders Coach Al Arbour broke up his former top line of Trottier , Gillies and Billy Harris in training camp , inserting Bossy , as a rookie . The results were immediate , as Trottier emerged as a points leader , Bossy emerged as a league ' s leading goal scorer , while Gillies , the team captain and a larger presence than Trottier and Bossy , served as an aggressor , as well as a scorer . Bossy won the Calder Trophy that season . Gillies , at the time 23 , was the oldest of the three . Playoff success . The Islanders had made the playoffs the three seasons prior to the formation of the Trio Grande , but had not gotten past the Semifinals . In 1977 – 78 , the Islanders won their first Patrick Division championship , but lost in the Quarterfinals . In 1978 – 79 , the Islanders repeated as Patrick Division champions and won the President ' s Trophy ( which they would also win in 1980 – 81 and 1981 – 82 , but lost in the Semifinals . Following the disappointments of the prior two seasons , Gillies willingly relinquished the team captaincy to Denis Potvin prior to the 1979 – 80 season . The Islanders won their first of four consecutive Stanley Cup s in 1979 – 80 , with Trottier winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as MVP of the playoffs in 1980 and Bossy winning the Conn Smythe Trophy in 1982 , scoring 7 goals in the 4 game series against the Vancouver Canucks . The Islanders also made the Stanley Cup finals in 1984 , losing to the Edmonton Oilers . Bossy had scored 8 goals after the first three rounds of the playoffs ( and 17 goals in the past three consecutive post - seasons ) , but was silenced completely in the finals series . Post - dynasty . The Islanders returned to the playoffs in 1984 – 85 and 1985 – 86 , losing in the Stanley Cup Finals and Division Semifinals , respectively . Following the 1985 – 86 season , during which his scoring output decreased significantly , Gillies was waived by the Islanders and acquired by the Buffalo Sabres . Bossy experienced a severe back injury , which forced him to retire following the 1986 – 87 season . Trottier would remain with the Islanders until being released after the 1989 – 90 NHL season . Personal achievements . In 1978 – 79 , Trottier scored 134 points to earn the Art Ross Trophy , as well as the Hart Trophy as league MVP . In 1980 – 81 , Bossy scored 50 goals in the first 50 games of the season , the first achieve this milestone since Maurice Richard . Bossy also won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy in 1982 – 83 NHL season , 1983 – 84 and 1985 – 86 . The three members of the Trio Grande made the NHL All - Star Team in 1977 – 78 and 1978 – 79 , with Trottier and Gillies making the First Team and Bossy making the Second Team , beaten out by Guy LaFleur both years . Bossy would make the First Team in 1980 – 81 , 1982 – 83 , 1983 – 84 , and 1985 – 86 . Bossy also made the Second Team in 1984 – 85 , and Trottier was named to the Second Team in 1981 – 82 and 1983 – 84 . All three members of the Trio Grande were named to the 1978 NHL All Star Game . Bossy and Trottier were both named to the 1980 , 1982 , 1983 , 1985 , and 1986 All Star Games . In addition , Bossy was named to the All Star Game in 1981 . Bossy still holds the team records for most goals in a season ( 69 goals in 1978 – 79 ) and most points in a season ( 147 points in 1981 – 82 ) . Trottier holds the team record for most assists in a season ( 87 assists in 1978 – 79 ) . All three have had their numbers retired by the Islanders .