Published: September 2008
On August 12, the National Hockey League’s New York Islanders announced the hiring of Scott Gordon ’86 as the team’s head coach. He played hockey for three years at Boston College and was goalie on the 1985 team that made the NCAA Frozen Four. After graduation, he had an eight-year career as a player, which included two seasons on the NHL’s Quebec Nordiques and a spot on the 1992 U.S. Olympic team in Albertville, France.
He began his coaching career in 1994 as an assistant with the Atlanta Knights of the International Hockey League, and in 2000 moved to the Providence Bruins of the American Hockey League—professional hockey’s top minor league, whose 16 teams have produced more than 80 percent of players in the NHL. He became Bruins head coach in 2003, bringing the team from fourth place in its division that year to first place in the 2007-08 season. Last year the AHL’s coaches and the sports media voted him to be the recipient of the A.R. Pieri Memorial Award as the AHL’s outstanding coach of the year.
“Scott stood out among the other candidates as being a great communicator and providing structure to his team, accountability in the locker room, and disciplined play,” said Islanders general manager Garth Snow in announcing Gordon’s new post. “He fits into our plan of developing our younger players, and will connect with our veterans as well.”
Gordon comes to a struggling team: The Islanders were at the bottom of the Atlantic Division last season, and he will be the team’s fifth coach in six years. Nevertheless, he was upbeat following the announcement of his new job, calling it an “unbelievable opportunity,” adding, “I’ve seen firsthand the talented young players in this organization. I look at the direction and vision for this team and see a bright future.”
- New York Islanders website announcement of Gordon’s appointment, including video of an interview with Gordon
- August 12, 2008 Newsday article about Gordon’s appointment as the Islanders coach
- Yahoo sports blog on “the potential and perils of Scott Gordon”
- Toronto Gobe and Mail sports writer James Mirtle’s blog on Gordon’s appointment
- Item in the April 9, 2008 Sportnetwork.com on Gordon’s selection as AHL Coach of the Year
- Article in the Spring 2006 edition of Boston College Magazine about goalie Cory Schneider ’08 breaking Scott Gordon’s University record for saves in a season.
