UNIONDALE, N.Y., July 19 (UPI) -- Hall of Fame hockey Coach Al Arbour will coach the New York Islanders for one game allowing him to reach the 1,500-game mark.
Arbour coached in the NHL for 22 years and his 781 career victories is second all-time to Scotty Bowman.
A total of 19 of those seasons were guiding the Islanders, with whom he had a 739-537-223 record. New York also had a 119-79 playoff record with Arbour. He led the Islanders to four consecutive Stanley Cup titles in 1980-83.
Arbour is signing a contract to coach the Islanders for one day -- Nov. 3 when the team hosts the Pittsburgh Penguins -- so he can reach the 1,500-game total.
"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," Islanders Coach Ted Nolan said about Arbour's return. "And every day it would kill me when I'd see Coach Arbour made it to 1,499 games."
If the Islanders win that game, team officials will have to change Arbour's retirement banner that hangs in the Nassau Coliseum. That banner reads "739" for his number of victories.
