Isles’ Legends Remember Al Arbour’s Greatness On & Off Ice

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From: Inside Hockey > Features > Hockey History
Isles’ Legends Remember Arbour’s Greatness On and Off the Ice
Brad Kurtzberg
August 29, 2016

One year after Al Arbour’s passing, many of the Islanders all-time greats gathered together to remember their Hall of Fame coach and his legacy. While nearly every speaker mentioned Arbour’s numerous accomplishments in and around the rink, the former players and colleagues also discussed the impact their former coach had on their lives.

It was clear from the emotions expressed by so many of the speakers that Arbour was a big influence on them both on and off the ice.

“I get emotional when I talk about Al,” winger Bobby Nystrom explained after the ceremony. “People talk about his lessons and his strategies and things like that, but we came here as a bunch of young kids and he was like a father figure to most of us. He taught us about life and how to become men.”

Nystrom added that aside from his parents, Arbour had “the biggest impact on his life.” He also called his former coach, “the greatest motivator I ever met.” ...


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