Background
Capuano, Jack was born on July 7, 1966 in Cranston, Rhode Island, United States.
Capuano, Jack was born on July 7, 1966 in Cranston, Rhode Island, United States.
Attended, University Maine, 1985—1988.
Capuano played high school hockey at the Kent School in Kent, Connecticut and was a 5th round selection (88th overall) in the 1984 National Hockey League Entry Draft. He played his college hockey at the University of Maine. He enjoyed a decorated college career, earning First-Team All-American honours in his junior year.
His 32 goals remains the most ever by a Black Bear defenseman.
Capuano turned pro in 1988 following his junior year and signed with the Maple Leafs. He spent his first season with the Newmarket Saints of the AHL recording 21 points in 74 games.
He would crack the Leafs" National Hockey League roster for the 1989-1990 season, but played in only 1 game before Tom Kurvers returned from a holdout, forcing his demotion. Shortly after his demotion, he walked out on the Saints and demanded a trade, feeling he belonged in the National Hockey League. Toronto would deal Capuano to the New York Islanders mid-season, but they too assigned him to the AHL. He played only 17 games in the Islanders" system before being dealt again, this time to the Vancouver Canucks.
Capuano would have his finest professional season in 1990-1991, recording 20 goals and 50 points and earning 2nd-team All-Star honours in the IHL playing for the Milwaukee Admirals, Vancouver"s minor-pro affiliate.
The two became the first pair of brothers in Canucks history to suit up for the team at the same time. Capuano signed as a free agent with the Boston Bruins for the 1991-1992 season. He enjoyed another solid season in the AHL, and another two games of National Hockey League action with the Bruins, but chose to retire at the end of the season.
He finished his career having appeared in 6 National Hockey League games without recording a point.
Following his career as a player, Capuano moved into coaching. He served as an assistant coach with the Tallahassee Tiger Sharks of the ECHL before being hired as head coach of the ECHL"s Pee Dee Pride in 1997 and added the General Motors title to his responsibilities a year later.
He left the bench in 1999 but continued as General Motors until 2005, when the franchise folded. Capuano then signed on to be an assistant coach for the New York Islanders in the 2005-2006 season.
The team played fairly well, despite a midseason coaching change, but failed to make the playoffs.
The following season, 2006-2007, Capuano became an assistant coach for the Islanders" AHL affiliate, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. On April 30, 2007, Capuano was named head coach of the Sound Tigers for the 2007–2008 season. On November 15, 2010, Capuano was named interim head coach of the Islanders after head coach Scott Gordon was fired from that position by General Motors Garth Snow amidst a 10-game losing streak by the team
The Islanders retained Capuano as the full-time coach for the 2011-2012 season.
Capuano led the Islanders to a playoff spot in 2013, their first appearance in six years. Holds Maine Black Bears record for career goals by a defenseman (32, 1985-1988).