Isles Name Goring New Coach

April 30, 1999 / 3:45 PM EDT / AP

Butch Goring, who played for the New York Islanders during their dynasty of the early 1980s, was hired as coach of the struggling team today.

Goring replaced Bill Stewart, who was promoted from his assistant's job on Jan. 21, taking over for Mike Milbury, who had been both general manager and coach.

"For me, this is almost a dream come true," said Goring, whose coaching career began in 1981 as a playing assistant under Al Arbour. "Since Al Arbour made me an assistant, there hasn't been a day when I haven't wanted to step into Al Arbour's shoes and be as successful."

The Islanders ended this season with a 24-48-10 record, worst in the Atlantic Division and third worst in the 27-team NHL. It was the fifth consecutive season they failed to make the playoffs.

Things were a lot different when Goring played for the team, beginning late in the 1979-80 season through the first half of the 1984-85 season.

During that span, the Islanders won four straight Stanley Cup titles, from 1980-83, and Goring was the most valuable player during the 1981 playoffs, collecting 10 goals and 10 assists in 18 games.

Goring, 49, was coach and general manager for the International Hockey League's Utah Grizzlies last season. He coached for just over a year with the NHL's Boston Bruins during the 1985-86 season and coached in the American Hockey League.

He began coaching the Denver Grizzlies in 1994 and stayed with the team when it moved to Utah. He has a 423-311-89 career coaching record, including a 235-141-33 record with Denver and Utah.

Last season, Goring rejected an offer to coach the Anaheim Mighty Ducks of the NHL.

Overall, he played 16 seasons in the NHL. He scored more than 30 goals four different times, finishing his career with 375 goals and 513 assists in 1,107 games.