Al Arbour

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Lore & Background

When Al Arbour took the helm in 1973, the New York Islanders were coming off a woeful expansion season in 1972-73 in which they set a then-NHL record for futility by losing 60 games. In his first season, the team finished last in the league for the second year in a row, but gave up 100 fewer goals and earned 56 points, up from 30 the year before. New York Rangers defenceman Brad Park said after the Islanders beat their crosstown rivals for the first time, 'They have a system. They look like a hockey team.' The 1974–75 Islanders finished third in their division with 88 points, qualifying for the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. They defeated the Rangers in overtime of the deciding third game of their first-round series. In the next round, the Isles found themselves down three games to none in a best of seven quarter-final series against the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Islanders rebounded with three straight victories to tie the series, then prevailed in Game 7 by a score of 1–0. It was only the second time in major sports history, and the first since 1942, that a team won a series after trailing 3–0. The Islanders then faced the Philadelphia Flyers in the next round, again fell behind 3–0, and once again tied the series, although the Flyers prevailed in Game 7 and went on to win their second consecutive Stanley Cup.

In Their Own Story

During the 1979–80 season, the Islanders struggled. However, following the acquisition of Butch Goring in March, the Islanders completed the regular season with a 12-game unbeaten streak. The regular season run carried over to the playoffs and the Islanders captured their first Stanley Cup championship on May 24, 1980, by defeating the Philadelphia Flyers in overtime of Game 6. Arbour and the Islanders went on to capture three more Cups in a row, a record for an American hockey club. Along the way, they set records for consecutive regular season victories, consecutive Finals victories, and playoff series victories. By the time the Islanders were dethroned by the Edmonton Oilers in the 1984 Stanley Cup Final, they had strung together 19 straight playoff series victories, a professional sports record. No team in any of the four major sports has strung together four consecutive championships since.

Reader's Guide

The first Stanley Cup (1980) marked the beginning of the dynasty, achieved after defeating the Philadelphia Flyers in overtime of Game 6. Key contributors included Butch Goring, acquired in March, who sparked a 12-game unbeaten streak to close the regular season. This victory solidified the Islanders' status as a powerhouse. The fourth straight Cup (1983) saw the Islanders defeat the Edmonton Oilers in a classic series. This historic achievement cemented Arbour's legacy as an all-time great coach. Arbour retired from coaching following the 1985–86 season and accepted a position in the Islanders front office as vice-president of player development. He returned to coach the Islanders in the 1988–89 season and remained there through 1993-94, notably upsetting the two-time defending champion Pittsburgh Penguins in the 1993 playoffs. Arbour retired after the 1993–94 season, having led the Islanders to a second playoff berth where they were swept in the first round by the Presidents' Trophy-winning New York Rangers, who went on to capture the Stanley Cup.

Did You Know?

• Arbour is one of a select group of players in Stanley Cup history to win the Cup with three or more different teams.
• Arbour is the only coach in NHL history to coach 1,500 games for the same team.
• He won 19 consecutive playoff series with the Islanders from 1980 to 1984, an NHL record.
• Arbour was the first captain of the expansion St. Louis Blues.

The Architect of a Dynasty

Al Arbour stands as the central figure in one of professional sports' most dominant eras, guiding the New York Islanders to an unprecedented four consecutive Stanley Cup championships between 1980 and 1983. Under his direction, the team achieved a staggering nineteen consecutive playoff series victories from 1980 through 1984, a feat that remains unmatched across all major North American sports. Arbour's tenure defined the team's identity during their peak years at Nassau Coliseum. He is seventh for games coached in National Hockey League history and eighth all-time in wins. His 740 wins with the Islanders is the most for a coach with one team in NHL history. Arbour was awarded the Jack Adams Award as the league's top coach in 1979. Upon retiring from the bench, Arbour was named vice-president of player development for the Islanders. He was awarded the Lester Patrick Trophy for his contributions to the sport and was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1996.

The Strategic Foundation

Before the glory days began, Al Arbour helped steer a franchise born out of expansion. The Islanders were established in 1972. After a woeful expansion season in 1972-73 in which the New York Islanders were coached by Phil Goyette and Earl Ingarfield, the club hired Arbour as its new coach in 1973. Arbour led the team to a winning record every season from 1974–75 until he stepped down in 1985–86. In his first season as Isles' coach, Arbour's team finished last in the league for the second year in a row, but gave up 100 fewer goals and earned 56 points, up from 30 the year before. Despite achieving great regular season success, culminating in the 1978–79 campaign in which they finished with the best record in the NHL, the Islanders suffered a series of letdowns in the playoffs. In both 1976 and 1977, they lost in the semi-finals to the eventual champion Montreal Canadiens, and then suffered an upset loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 1978 quarter-finals, on a game-winning goal by Lanny McDonald in overtime of Game 7. Then, in 1979, the rival Rangers defeated Arbour's Islanders in the semi-finals 4–2. Arbour won the Jack Adams Award for the team's stellar regular season.

An Unbroken Chain of Victory

The most defining statistic of Al Arbour's career is the nineteen-game playoff series winning streak achieved between 1980 and 1984, a record that stands as an unparalleled benchmark in professional sports history. This run included four straight Stanley Cup titles, making the Islanders the last team in any major North American sport to accomplish such a feat. Arbour's teams did not just win; they dominated with a consistency that saw them secure winning records every season from 1974–75 until he stepped down in 1985–86. Arbour's ability to maintain such high performance levels over multiple seasons created a golden age that separated the Islanders from all other teams during that specific window of time.

Enduring Hall of Fame Legacy

Al Arbour's impact on the New York Islanders extends far beyond his coaching tenure. He was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1996. Arbour is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame, New York Islanders Hall of Fame, Nassau County Sports Hall of Fame, and St. Louis Blues Hall of Fame. On November 3, 2007, Arbour returned, at the request of Islanders coach Ted Nolan, to coach his 1,500th game for the Islanders. The Islanders beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 3–2, giving Arbour his 740th win. The 739-win banner was brought down, and replaced with one with the number 1500, representing the total number of games coached. He is the only coach in NHL history to coach 1,500 games for the same team. Arbour died on August 28, 2015, in Sarasota, Florida, aged 82.

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