Jack Capuano

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Capuano joined the Florida Panthers as an associate coach for the 2017-18 season, bringing with him a decade of head coaching experience from the New York Islanders organization. During the 2012-13 season, Capuano missed the season-opener due to kidney stones before being medically cleared to return to the bench. On April 27, 2016, he was hit by a puck during a playoff game between the Islanders and Tampa Bay Lightning. He remained with the Panthers through the 2018-19 season before moving on to become associate coach of the Ottawa Senators on June 6, 2019.

In Their Own Story

When Capuano arrived in Florida for the 2017-18 season, he brought a reputation forged in the crucible of Long Island. He had been named interim head coach of the Islanders on November 15, 2010, after Scott Gordon was fired amidst a 10-game losing streak. The Islanders retained him full-time for the 2011-12 season. On January 17, 2017, he was relieved from his duties, leaving as the second-winningest coach in franchise history behind Hall of Famer Al Arbour. In Florida, he served as associate coach for two seasons, working behind the bench before his next chapter began.

Reader's Guide

Jack Capuano served as associate coach for the Florida Panthers during the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons. He joined the team after being relieved as head coach of the New York Islanders on January 17, 2017. During his Islanders tenure, he had been named interim head coach on November 15, 2010, after a 10-game losing streak, and was retained full-time for the 2011-12 season. He left as the second-winningest coach in franchise history, behind only Hall of Famer Al Arbour. After his two seasons with Florida, Capuano was named associate coach of the Ottawa Senators on June 6, 2019, a role he held through the 2023-24 season. On July 1, 2024, he was named associate coach of the Minnesota Wild.

Did You Know?

• Capuano played as a defenseman and spent parts of three seasons in the NHL in the late 1980s and early 1990s, appearing in 6 NHL games without recording a point.
• He is the older brother of former NHL hockey player Dave Capuano, and the two became the first pair of brothers in Vancouver Canucks history to suit up for the team at the same time.
• Capuano holds the Maine Black Bears record for career goals by a defenseman with 32 goals from 1985–88.
• During the 2012-13 season, Capuano missed the Islanders' season-opener due to kidney stones before being medically cleared to return to the bench.
• On April 27, 2016, Capuano was hit by a puck during a playoff game between the New York Islanders and Tampa Bay Lightning.