Legendary New York Islanders coach Al Arbour has died at the age of 82.
An official cause of death was not given though Arbour had been battling dementia for quite some time. The Islanders confirmed Arbour’s passing on their website.
Arbour coached the Islanders to four Stanley Cup championships from 1980-83. He was known for his ability to motivate, as well as his large glasses, which helped give him the nickname “Radar.”
“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. “The New York Islanders franchise has four Stanley Cups to its name, thanks in large part to Al’s incredible efforts. 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. On behalf of the entire organization, we send our deepest condolences to the entire Arbour family.”
Said Islanders great Bryan Trottier in an interview with the New York Daily News last summer.
“He was probably our father figure in the fact that we all respected him so much," Trottier said. "He had a great command of the room and at the same time he had a big man's presence. He had won a lot of Stanley Cups as a player with several different teams, he played with great players, so he always brought that credibility with him. For us to sit down with him one-on-one or when he was in front of us as a team, he had a great presence and we loved the man…we all love Al for all of the great times we had together and his leadership."
Arbour was named Islanders coach in 1973-74. With the Islanders, he amassed a 740-537-223 record over 19 seasons. He won 119 career playoff games which is an NHL record for most with one club. Arbour ranks second in wins and games coached behind Scotty Bowman. He also coached 107 games with the St. Louis Blues, posting a 42-40-25 record. His final full season came in 1993-94. He was selected to the Hockey Hall of Fame as a builder in 1996.
When Arbour left the Islanders, he had coached 1,499 games with New York, and returned to coach one in 2007-08 in order to hit the magical 1,500 mark.
He was adored by Islanders fans and players alike. During his tenure he coached legends like Mike Bossy, Trottier and Denis Potvin.
Born in Sudbury, Ontario on Nov. 1, 1932, Arbour played 626 games as an NHL defenseman. He had 12 goals, 58 assists and 70 points between stints with the Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Blackhawks, Toronto Maple Leafs and St. Louis Blues from 1953-54 through 1970-71.
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