2. Bob Hartley
If you’ve been following Big Red’s Isle Cast on YouTube, then you’ll know that Bob Hartley is considered the best choice for the New York Islanders, and why not?
Hartley has seen and done it all during his tenure as a head coach. He is the first Jack Adams winner on this list.
Hartley started his NHL coaching career with the former Quebec Nordiques. Hartley stayed with the organization through it’s move to Colorado and led the Hersey Bears (Colorado’s AHL affiliate at the time) to a Calder Cup in 1997. He was then promoted to head coach of the big club in Denver.
Hartley’s four years with the Avalanche (1998-2002) were capstoned by the Avs winning the 2000-01 Stanley Cup. His Colorado teams won four straight Northwest Division titles and went to the Western Conference Finals each season.
When he was hired by Atlanta, he reinvigorated a lost Thrashers team leading them to their first (and only) division title in 2006-07 and their only playoff appearance as the Thrashers.
His career then took him to Calgary, where he would gradually coax a young Flames team in 2008-09 to their first playoff series win since 2004.
Hartley took home Jack Adams honors as the NHL coach of the year with Calgary in 20145-15.
Success has been prevalent in Hartley’s career. He is a prime candidate to bring the Islanders back to contention.
