The Passing Of The Torch - Why Al Arbour's Return Is Symbolic
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When I heard that Al Arbour would be returning for one final game, his 1,500th with the New York Islanders, I was ecstatic. In one of his classiest moves yet, Ted Nolan decided to step aside for one game to allow the coaching great one to coach his final game. But it represents a whole lot more than just Arbour's 1,500th game.
When Ted Nolan arrived on Long Island, he brought a new sense of direction to the team, as if he wanted to change the culture. However, this culture wasn't much different than the attitude of the team's Al Arbour coached. There was one goal, and that was to win. Everything else is secondary. But what makes these two guys great coaches, not that Nolan is close to Arbour's league yet, is that they know how to push the right buttons.
Alexei Yashin played his heart out for 30 games before a knee injury killed his season, and effectively his career with the Islanders. Nolan helped Tom Poti and Viktor Kozlov rejuvenate their careers, and now both have signed long-term deals with the Washington Capitals. Jason Blake put up 40 goals for the first time in his career. But that wasn't Nolan's best work.
The Islanders were all but dead going into the final week of the 2006-2007 season, but Nolan continued to believe. Riding the cotails of their 3rd goaltender, Wade Dubielewicz, the Islanders won their last four games, and with a little bit of luck, headed into the playoffs for the first time in 3 years.
Sounds like a type of run an Al Arbour team would go on. The one main difference between the two coaches is that Nolan is a very passive guy, where Arbour was always nervous on the bench. Still, both make for extremely effective coaches.
Al Arbour is just going to the Nassau Coliseum to coach one game. Ted Nolan will be standing next to him, soaking it all in. On the surface, that's all it is. But when you think about it, it gives a feel as if Arbour is passing the Islander torch over to Ted Nolan. Obviously, Arbour is the best coach in Islanders history, but other than him, who is there? The Islanders shuffled through a ton of horrible coaches in the 1990's including Mike Milbury, Rick Bowness, and Bill Stewart. Peter Laviolette was not around long enough to make a true impact, and recently, Steve Stirling was a terrible coach.
Ted Nolan is the first coach since Arbour that is set to be here long term. By accepting this invitation, Arbour is acknowledging Ted Nolan as the next coach to lead the team to the Stanley Cup. Arbour would never have accepted this invitation in the late 1990's and early 2000's. Even though Arbour has been here for 14 years, he was always the one true coach the team has had. Now the team has two.
Arbour's return is symbolic, as it represents a new era in Islander history. The Ted Nolan era - and that is something to look forward to. The first time an Islander fan has something to look forward to in a very long time.
