Henning Succeeds Arbour With Islanders

The New York Islanders named assistant Lorne Henning as head coach, replacing Al Arbour, who retired after the NHL season.

Henning, 41, becomes the fifth coach in the franchise’s 22-year history.

Henning coached the Minnesota North Stars for two seasons, 1985-87, but said he joined the Islanders as an assistant to Arbour because the Islander head coaching job was what he wanted.

“Deep down, I never really thought about it until Al made me an assistant,” said Henning, who was 68-72-18 with Minnesota. “You keep it in the back of your mind, and every year I’d get ready because Al’s going to retire. I’ve been ready for 10 years, but I wasn’t in any hurry.”

Henning served as head coach during a five-game stint this season while Arbour was serving a suspension.

Henning was a member of the original Islanders, ending his career as a player-assistant in 1980-81. Known as an outstanding penalty killer, he had 73 goals and 184 points in 544 games.

Colleges

Arizona State’s athletic department has been put on probation for one year for minor recruiting violations, including making too many telephone calls to recruits, the Pacific 10 Conference announced.

There were no penalties, but the school had to agree to a compliance review.

Athletic Director Charles Harris called the decision “fair and reasonable.”

Arizona State has reprimanded its football coaching staff and forbidden coaches to call recruits or their parents from July 1 through July 21, the first three weeks such calls are allowed during the 1994-95 football recruiting season.

Cotton Bowl officials have proposed moving the Jan. 1 game from its longtime downtown home to suburban Texas Stadium, bowl association president John Crawford said, adding that the proposed move would take effect Jan. 1, 1996.

Pro Basketball

The NBA is seeking to keep in effect terms of the collective bargaining agreement with players after it expires Thursday and before a new one is reached.

NBA Deputy Commissioner Russ Granik said court papers were filed in response to player association statements that it would be an antitrust violation to continue the draft, free agency, salary cap and revenue sharing if no agreement exists.

In an earlier suit, a judge ruled that terms of the previous agreement are effective as long as there is a reasonable belief negotiations will continue, NBA spokesman Brian McIntyre said.

Miscellany

Former Miami Dolphin receiver Howard Twilley of Tulsa, Okla., who earlier had said he was considering running for Congress, has decided against it and said he will support another former football star, Steve Largent, for the Republican nomination.