from Brett Cyrgalis of the New York Post,
For the past few decades, the Islanders organization has floated further and further away from the traditions and the team that made up the greatest run in sports history. The dynasty of the four straight Stanley Cups, starting in 1980, and the players who made up those teams, were becoming forgotten by the younger generation of the fan base.
But on Monday, at the team’s sparkling new practice facility on Long Island, with whip-smart new owner Jon Ledecky leading the show, and with one more memorial to beloved coach Al Arbour, who passed away one year and one day ago, things are beginning to look stabilized.
Finally, it seems this is a franchise that isn’t just talking about honoring its history, but is doing it in as many ways as possible. And that starts with bringing back Islanders alumni and having them as engaged as possible, as seen in their teary eyes as they once again shared memories of their coach, who died last Aug. 28 and continues to set the standard for integrity in a sometimes wayward organization.
“When you look at a world of [salary] cap and free agency, and you look at the discussions people have about teams, having an engaged alumni base is a terrific, positive mark for people deciding where they’re going to play,” said Ledecky, who is becoming the face of this front office.
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