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Innovative Al Arbour changed the course of the franchise

Al Arbour became a trending topic Friday on Twitter, a universe that was unimaginable in his days as a helmetless, glasses-wearing defenseman or an assistant-less young coach. The juxtaposition seemed odd on one level, but it really was the perfect tribute to a man who was ahead of his time.

It would be technically correct to call Arbour "Old School," and also misleading. The phrase these days has a vaguely negative connotation, sort of like "out of touch."

Truth is, Arbour's strength was that he was profoundly in touch, with his players, his sport, his world. If he were in his prime today, he would have come up with a way to thrive.