Jack Capuano
Encyclopedia
Jack Capuano is the head coach of the New York Islanders
.
He is a retired former professional ice hockey
defenseman
who spent parts of three seasons in the National Hockey League
in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
, Capuano played his college hockey at the University of Maine
. At Maine, he was a teammate of his younger brother Dave Capuano
and played on the same blueline as future NHLers Eric Weinrich
and Bob Beers
along with future Vancouver Canucks
executive Dave Nonis
. He enjoyed a decorated college career, earning First-Team All-American honours in his junior year. His 32 goals remains the most ever by a Black Bear.
Capuano turned pro in 1988 following his junior year and signed with the Maple Leafs. He spent his first season with the Newmarket Saints
of the AHL
recording 21 points in 74 games. He would crack the Leafs' NHL roster for the 1989–90 season, but played in only 1 game before Tom Kurvers
returned from a holdout, forcing his demotion. Shortly after his demotion, he walked out on the Saints and demanded a trade, feeling he belonged in the NHL.
Toronto would deal Capuano to the New York Islanders
mid-season, but they too assigned him to the AHL. He played only 17 games in the Islanders' system before being dealt again, this time to the Vancouver Canucks
.
Capuano would have his finest professional season in 1990–91, recording 20 goals and 50 points and earning 2nd-team All-Star honours in the IHL playing for the Milwaukee Admirals
, Vancouver's minor-pro affiliate. He received a three-game callup to the Canucks, where he received the opportunity to play with his brother Dave. The two became the first pair of brothers in Canucks history to suit up for the team at the same time.
Capuano signed as a free agent with the Boston Bruins
for the 1991–92 season. He enjoyed another solid season in the AHL, and another two games of NHL action with the Bruins, but chose to retire at the end of the season. He finished his career having appeared in 6 NHL games without recording a point.
of the ECHL
in 1997 and added the GM title to his responsibilities a year later. He left the bench in 1999 but continued as GM until 2005, when the franchise folded.
Capuano then signed on to be an assistant coach for the New York Islanders
in the 2005–06 season. The team played fairly well, despite a midseason coaching change, but failed to make the playoffs. The following season, 2006–07, Capuano became an assistant coach for the Islanders' AHL
affiliate, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers
. On April 30, 2007, Capuano was named head coach of the Sound Tigers for the 2007–2008 season.
On November 15, 2010, Capuano was named interim head coach of the Islanders after head coach Scott Gordon
was fired from that position by GM Garth Snow
amidst a 10-game losing streak by the team. Gordon will remain with the Islanders as an adviser to Snow.
On April 12, 2011, the Islanders announced that the "interim" tag would be removed from Capuano's title, and that he would be coaching the team in 2011–2012.
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
.
He is a retired former professional ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
defenseman
Defenceman (ice hockey)
Defence in ice hockey is a player position whose primary responsibility is to prevent the opposing team from scoring...
who spent parts of three seasons in the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Playing career
A 5th round selection (88th overall) in the 1984 NHL Entry Draft1984 NHL Entry Draft
The 1984 NHL Entry Draft took place on June 9, 1984, at the Montreal Forum in Montreal, Quebec.The 1984 Entry Draft was noted for the unusually high number of future Hall of Famers picked, particularly in lower rounds. In addition to Mario Lemieux being taken first overall, Patrick Roy was chosen...
, Capuano played his college hockey at the University of Maine
University of Maine
The University of Maine is a public research university located in Orono, Maine, United States. The university was established in 1865 as a land grant college and is referred to as the flagship university of the University of Maine System...
. At Maine, he was a teammate of his younger brother Dave Capuano
Dave Capuano
Dave Alan Capuano is a retired American professional ice hockey left winger.- Playing career :Capuano played for the University of Maine for three seasons from 1986–1989. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the second round of the 1986 NHL Entry Draft, 25th overall...
and played on the same blueline as future NHLers Eric Weinrich
Eric Weinrich
Eric John Weinrich is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman who played 17 seasons in the National Hockey League with the New Jersey Devils, Hartford Whalers, Chicago Blackhawks, Montreal Canadiens, Boston Bruins, Philadelphia Flyers, St. Louis Blues and Vancouver Canucks...
and Bob Beers
Bob Charles Beers
Robert Charles Beers, is a retired American professional ice hockey defenseman. He currently serves as a radio commentator on Boston Bruins broadcasts on the WBZ Bruins radio network and is an occasional contributor to NESN Bruins and College Hockey broadcasts.-Career:Beers was drafted in the...
along with future Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
executive Dave Nonis
Dave Nonis
David M. Nonis is a former Canadian ice hockey defenceman, former general manager and executive of the National Hockey League's Vancouver Canucks and current general manager of the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League .-Playing career:Growing up in Burnaby, B.C., Nonis played junior...
. He enjoyed a decorated college career, earning First-Team All-American honours in his junior year. His 32 goals remains the most ever by a Black Bear.
Capuano turned pro in 1988 following his junior year and signed with the Maple Leafs. He spent his first season with the Newmarket Saints
Newmarket Saints
The Newmarket Saints were a minor league hockey team in Newmarket, Ontario. It played in the American Hockey League from 1986–91 as the farm team of the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Ray Twinney Complex....
of the AHL
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
recording 21 points in 74 games. He would crack the Leafs' NHL roster for the 1989–90 season, but played in only 1 game before Tom Kurvers
Tom Kurvers
Thomas James Kurvers is a retired professional ice hockey defenseman who spent 11 seasons in the National Hockey League between 1984 and 1995. He was a member of the 1986 Stanley Cup Champion Montreal Canadiens...
returned from a holdout, forcing his demotion. Shortly after his demotion, he walked out on the Saints and demanded a trade, feeling he belonged in the NHL.
Toronto would deal Capuano to the New York Islanders
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
mid-season, but they too assigned him to the AHL. He played only 17 games in the Islanders' system before being dealt again, this time to the Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
.
Capuano would have his finest professional season in 1990–91, recording 20 goals and 50 points and earning 2nd-team All-Star honours in the IHL playing for the Milwaukee Admirals
Milwaukee Admirals
The Milwaukee Admirals are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They play in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA at the Bradley Center.-History:...
, Vancouver's minor-pro affiliate. He received a three-game callup to the Canucks, where he received the opportunity to play with his brother Dave. The two became the first pair of brothers in Canucks history to suit up for the team at the same time.
Capuano signed as a free agent with the Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
for the 1991–92 season. He enjoyed another solid season in the AHL, and another two games of NHL action with the Bruins, but chose to retire at the end of the season. He finished his career having appeared in 6 NHL games without recording a point.
Coaching career
Following his career, Capuano moved into coaching. He was hired as head coach of the Pee Dee PridePee Dee Pride
The Pee Dee Pride was a minor-league hockey organization housed in Florence, South Carolina, where they played from 1997 until 2005. The organization, which is one of the five charter members of the East Coast Hockey League , was originally housed in Knoxville, Tennessee and was known as the...
of the ECHL
ECHL
The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States...
in 1997 and added the GM title to his responsibilities a year later. He left the bench in 1999 but continued as GM until 2005, when the franchise folded.
Capuano then signed on to be an assistant coach for the New York Islanders
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
in the 2005–06 season. The team played fairly well, despite a midseason coaching change, but failed to make the playoffs. The following season, 2006–07, Capuano became an assistant coach for the Islanders' AHL
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
affiliate, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers
Bridgeport Sound Tigers
The Bridgeport Sound Tigers are an ice hockey team playing in the American Hockey League. It has been the AHL affiliate of the National Hockey League's New York Islanders, who also own the franchise, since its inception, and use the same team colors as the parent Islanders do. The team is based in...
. On April 30, 2007, Capuano was named head coach of the Sound Tigers for the 2007–2008 season.
On November 15, 2010, Capuano was named interim head coach of the Islanders after head coach Scott Gordon
Scott Gordon
Scott Gordon is an American born professional hockey coach and former professional hockey goaltender. He is an assistant coach with the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League and a former head coach of the American Hockey League's Providence Bruins and the National Hockey League's New...
was fired from that position by GM Garth Snow
Garth Snow
Garth E. Snow is an American retired professional ice hockey goaltender and is currently the general manager for the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League.-Playing career:...
amidst a 10-game losing streak by the team. Gordon will remain with the Islanders as an adviser to Snow.
On April 12, 2011, the Islanders announced that the "interim" tag would be removed from Capuano's title, and that he would be coaching the team in 2011–2012.
NHL coaching statistics
| Team | |Regular season | NYI New York Islanders The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... |
2010–11 2010–11 NHL season The 2010–11 NHL season was the 94th season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the fourth consecutive season that opened in Europe with NHL Premiere . A record three events were scheduled, all in previous NHL Premiere cities: Helsinki, Finland; Stockholm, Sweden; and Prague, Czech... |
65 | 26 | 29 | 10 | (74) | 5th in Atlantic | Missed Playoffs |
|---|
Awards and achievements
- Hockey East Second All-Star Team (1986–87)
- Hockey East First All-Star Team (1987–88)
- NCAA East First-Team All-American (1987–88)
- Holds Maine Black Bears record for goals by a defender (32, 1985–88)
- IHL Second All-Start Team (1990–91)
- Coached in ECHL All-Star Game (1998)