Arbour to Coach 1,500th for Islanders

Al Arbour traded in his whistle for a sweater and a brown leather jacket. Too many years have passed for him to lead his team on the ice for practice, but not so many that he can't spend one more night behind the bench for the New York Islanders

Arbour, the Hall of Fame coach who guided the Mike Bossy and Bryan Trottier-led Islanders to four straight Stanley Cup titles from 1980-83, has been given a gift by the team 13 years after he said goodbye for the second time.

On Saturday night he will step back into his familiar role as coach for one more game _ No. 1,500 with the franchise that he helped make famous.

Current Islanders coach Ted Nolan will …