Social media is flooded with tributes to legendary Mike Bossy

This is with broken hearts that we learned on Friday morning that Hall of Fame member and New York Islanders great Mike Bossy had died. At just 65 years old.

Bossy an eight-time All-Star had announced last October that he had been diagnosed with lung cancer. The illness forced him to step away from his analyst job at TVA Sports. There were reports last week that he has entered palliative care, though his family had explained that he was at home, surrounded by loved ones.

News came in that he had passed after a tough battle with the disease. It didn’t take long for social media to be flooded with tributes to the legendary player and man.

In one of those incredible coincidences, the Islanders are in Montreal, his hometown, for tonight's game. 

These are only a handful of moving messages and thoughts shared about Bossy, as many more will be added on.

There are so many more out there as Bossy is trending in a way we never wanted to see him do. 

A four-time Stanley Cup winner with the Islanders (1980-83), he recorded 1,126 points (573 goals, 553 assists) in 752 career games. He spent his entire 10-season NHL career with the team. He won the 1978 Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL rookie of the year, and the 1982 Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the playoffs. He also was a three-time Lady Byng Memorial Trophy recipient (1982-83, 1983-84, 1985-86). Bossy was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1991.

A chronic back injury forced Bossy to retire following the 1986-87 season at just 30 years old. But his love for hockey kept him involved in the sports, devoted for hockey, but most importantly his family.

We join fans with sincere thoughts and condolences to his family, friends, fans and loved ones. This is tragic news. A true gentleman is gone.