Bob Nystrom roomed with Clark Gillies and formed a tight bond that lasted well past their years together as Islanders teammates.
So after Gillies passed away on Friday at the age of 67, speaking about it wasn’t easy for Nystrom, but he wanted to make one point perfectly clear about his lifelong friend.
"It’s devastating," he said Saturday morning. "This guy was just the best person that you could ever, ever, ever meet or be friendly with or be a teammate of. He was an incredible guy.
"The one thing that I need you to just say is that he’s one of the greatest human beings that I have ever met," Nystrom said to conclude a telephone chat.