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Rangers GM Glen Sather extends support for Islanders’ new arena bid

New York Islanders Draft Party

during the New York Islanders Draft Party on June 24, 2011 at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, New York. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)

Mike Stobe

While the New York Islanders’ run of ineptitude probably sapped some of the venom out of their rivalry over the last few years, the New York Rangers and Islanders still rev up their engines a little more when they face each other. That doesn’t mean that the two sides cannot be civil off the ice, though, as both teams are probably aware that their shared presence provides mutual benefits.

That might explain why Rangers GM Glen Sather issued a statement today to give support to the Islanders’ much-needed new arena. Rangers owner James Dolan also joined Sather in the movement to get people to vote “yes” to the August 1 referendum by appearing in a commercial as Blueshirt Banter points out.

Here is Sather’s statement.

“The rivalry that has existed between the Rangers and Islanders for almost 40 years is one of the best in hockey and in all of sports. The intense passion and emotion involved in these games is something we cherish and would like to see continue for generations to come. We urge Rangers fans, Islanders fans and all hockey fans in Nassau County to vote yes for the referendum on Monday, August 1". - Glen Sather

Monday will obviously be a big day for the Islanders and the NHL, because even though the team hasn’t been very competitive for quite some time, it would be embarrassing to see a four-time Stanley Cup winner relocate. Stay tuned with PHT for the rest of this and next week as this story continues to develop.