Al Arbour, led Islanders to 4 straight Cups, at 82
Al Arbour, the bespectacled gentleman of a coach who molded a young and talented New York Islanders franchise into an NHL dynasty that won four straight Stanley Cups in the early 1980s, has died. He was 82.
The Islanders confirmed Mr. Arbour’s death in a release issued Friday afternoon. Mr. Arbour had been in declining health, battling Parkinson’s disease and dementia, and living in a long-term care facility in Florida.
Beginning in 1973-74, Mr. Arbour led the Isles to 15 playoff appearances and won 119 playoff games — an NHL record with one team — over 19 seasons. His 740 career regularseason wins with the Islanders are the most with one NHL team.
“Al will always be remembered as one of, if not the greatest coaches ever to stand behind a bench in the history of the National Hockey League,” Islanders President and general manager Garth Snow said. “From his innovative coaching methods, to his humble way of life away from the game, Al is one of the reasons the New York Islanders are a historic franchise.”
Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1996 in the builder category, Mr. Arbour had success as a player but his real talent was in coaching.
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said Mr. Arbour was brilliant as a tactician and coach.
“Al Arbour directed the Islanders’ rapid transformation from expansion team to NHL powerhouse,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement released by the league. “As it grieves the loss of a profound influence on coaching and on the game itself, the NHL sends its heartfelt condolences to Al’s family and friends, to his former teammates and to all the players he motivated.”
The defensive-minded defenseman won titles with the Detroit Red Wings in 1954, the Chicago Blackhawks (’61) and the Toronto Maple Leafs in ’62 and ’64 during an NHL career that spanned three decades and 14 seasons. His last four seasons were with the expansion St. Louis Blues, who took him to three more Cup finals and gave him his start behind the bench.
His coaching statistics were even better. Besides the four consecutive Cups, he won 782 games, making him the NHL’s second winningest coach behind his mentor, Scotty Bowman (1,244). The Islanders also set an NHL record by winning 19 consecutive playoff series.
No team in any major sport has won four straight titles since Mr. Arbour’s Islanders did it. The Montreal Canadiens hold the NHL record with five straight titles (1956-60).
Bowman referred to the Islanders string of series wins as a record that will be tough to break. And he called it a testament to Mr. Arbour for being able to enjoy so much success with one franchise.
“Most of us coaches, we have to move around to get our message across,” Bowman told The Associated Press by phone on Friday. “But he was able to do it over a 20-year span. It’s an awesome feat. You’re dealing with completely new players but with the same team. I think that tells you a lot about him, that’s for sure.”