Former Isles coach and legend Al Arbour in hospice care

[Huntingwhale]

Saw this on the other board so everyone should be made aware here.

Former Blues player and Isles coach/legend Al Arbour is in hospice care in Florida.

“He was the toughest competitor, most courageous player I ever coached,” Bowman said. “He was the guy all the young players looked up to.”

Under Arbour, the Islanders became a group that exceeded 100 points seven times, went to five consecutive Stanley Cup Finals and won four Cups in succession (1980-83). With executive Bill Torrey, Arbour transformed the Islanders of the early 1980s into one of the great teams in sports history. Over 20 seasons, he became a Hall of Fame general.

He became the first Blues player to wear the captain’s “C.” There has not been one since to wear it with more dignity and respect.

For all the accolades Scotty Bowman gets as the greatest coach, Arbour is right there alongside him.

-Jack Adams winner
-8 time cup champ (4 as a player, 4 as a coach)
-782 wins in 1607 games coached + 118 playoff wins

One of the classiest things I ever saw in hockey was a couple seasons back when Nolan was coaching the Isles and convinced management to bring back Arbour for one night behind the bench so he could hit an even 1500 games coached for the isles.



http://islanders.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=465041

"Every day last season I would walk by that big board outside our locker room at the Coliseum that lists the franchise's award winners and milestones," said Nolan. "And every day it would kill me when I'd see Coach Arbour made it to 1,499 games.

"I asked (GM) Garth Snow if we could bring Coach back for one more game and to ask the NHL office to recognize it. They did, Coach Arbour emphatically said he was on board and now I can't wait. It's going to be an amazing night, I can guarantee you that. To me, Al Arbour and Scotty Bowman are the two greatest coaches in NHL history."

Best wishes to Al and his family during this tough time.

[polak]

He's 82. He lived an amazing life and left his mark on the league forever.

Definitely a life to be celebrated and not mourned.

Thoughts and prayers.

[jaikorven]

Originally Posted by polak

He's 82. He lived an amazing life and left his mark on the league forever.

Definitely a life to be celebrated and not mourned.

Thoughts and prayers.

Well said. Completely agree. Thank you.

[cKy]

Imagine playing with glasses on? Thats incredible.

[JBR]

Best wishes Radar.

[PeteMoss]

Did not know that Bowman coached Arbour. I wonder how often that has happened, a coach being younger than a player.

He was one heck of a coach.

[Locke]

Wow....those glasses...those are awesome.

[Gaudfather]

Wishing Al all the best. I always remember how cool and collected he always looked behind the Islanders bench.

[Dion]