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Under pressure: Jack Capuano

Jack Capuano

Jack Capuano

AP

If nothing else, it seems like New York Islanders head coach Jack Capuano seems pretty comfortable on the hot seat.

Well, judging by PHT archives, it’s at least a common location. Let’s peer through the headlines over the past few years:

2014-15: After the season - "(Garth) Snow says Isles will stick with Capuano”; back in November - “Isles’ struggles putting heat on Capuano”

2013-14: After the season - “Snow says Capuano will be back as Isles coach”; there were Peter Laviolette rumors, but Capuano wasn’t considered “the problem.” His struggles were testing Snow’s loyalties. Hey, but he had John Tavares’ faith.

2012-13: After the season - “Islanders will keep GM Garth Snow and coach Jack Capuano”

2011-12: He got the fabled vote of confidence

Jeez, quite the pattern for a guy who was bumped up from interim head coach back in April 2011, right?

Even with the vultures swirling over Capuano after each season, Snow remains loyal. After the Islanders fell to the Washington Capitals in that tightly played Game 7, he (mostly) praised Capuano’s work to New York Newsday.

“Our coaches did a great job, whether it was preparing our players or with the communication between coaches and players, which was outstanding,” Snow said. “There were some aspects of our game, whether it was with our penalty-kill that struggled early on and became a strength for us by the end, or our power play, which was a strength at times early on and we didn’t have one in the playoffs. That’s an area of concern. We’ll analyze all different areas of our team and try to get better.”

The Islanders have come along nicely over the years, yet you have to wonder how long the leash might be if they don’t generate a deep postseason run in the near future.

Could 2015-16 be Capuano’s last chance?