Legendry coach Al Arbour to coach one more game

[Allsmokenopancake 0]

http://www.thehockeynews.com/en/news/Detai...sp?xml=h071902A

Al Arbour is going behind the bench one more time.

The 74-year-old Hall of Famer has accepted an invitation from New York Islanders head coach Ted Nolan to coach his 1,500th regular-season game as an Islander when Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins visit Nov. 3.

"I'm very excited about it," Arbour told The Canadian Press from his cottage in Sudbury, Ont.

Arbour, who guided the Isles to four consecutive Stanley Cups from 1980 to '83, will sign a one-day contract Nov. 2 and lead the team the following night against the Penguins.

Arbour, who also coached 107 games with the St. Louis Blues, wants a win.

"There's no question about that," said Arbour. "I don't know that much about coaching anymore, I've been away from it a long time, but still two points is two points and we certainly want to win this hockey game."

Nolan felt it was important for Arbour to reach the milestone.

"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," Nolan said in an Islanders release. "And every day it would kill me when I'd see Coach Arbour made it to 1,499 games."

So the Isles coach asked GM Garth Snow to check with the league to see if it was possible. They got the green light.

"It's going to be an amazing night, I can guarantee you that," said Nolan. "To me, Al Arbour and Scotty Bowman are the two greatest coaches in NHL history."

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[tomh7 2]

I think this is a pretty awesome gesture on the part of Nolan, the Islanders Org., and the NHL.

[Chadd 916]

Why would they do it against the Penguins? You would think that game would sell out and they would pick another game to help boost attendance.

[LkptTiger 1]

They've defied logic before (look at the DiPietro deal)...apparently it's becoming habitual.

Scheduling aside, it's a classy move.

[tips09 0]

Great move one of the classiest moves ive seen

[kosydar 0]

I bet they lose.

[Hockeyman9621 0]

I say Crosby has a 3 point night, and the Isles only get 2 goals. It's funny that Nolan mentions Scotty Bowman's name, since his last game as a Penguin was a loss to the Isles..... he should avenge it November 3rd.

[MattyBoy 1]

much better deal than when they gave him a recliner last year to commemorate one of their stanley cup years

[willc7786 0]

Great move by them. When I saw the newsday headline of "Arbour returning behind the bench" I almost lost it lol Great move to honor one of the greatest coaches in sports, not just hockey, history.

I guess if they somehow win they'll have to take down the banner hanging in the rafters with his win total and add another one lol