Comments on: Brooklyn arena “could easily support a hockey team,” says owner

By: rainyday56

rainyday56 — Tue, 01 May 2012 04:20:27 +0000

They should negotiate to share MSG with the Rangers, like the Lakers and Clippers share Staples. They could become the Manhattan Islanders.

By: bcisleman

bcisleman — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 23:28:26 +0000

Many older fans like me have hung on because of the history. For younger fans, however, Potvin, Trottier, Bossy, Gillies, Nystrom, Tonelli and Morrow are just names…although Bossy is in the front office and makes appearances and Nystrom is very involved as well. The team has to establish a new tradition, a new identity. The path to that new identity has been painfully slow thanks to the very complete job Mik Milbury did of destroying the franchise. Unlike Stammer, for example, JT did not have a MSL and VLC to mentor him and help him to succeed.

PS: minor quibble: Isles are a NY area team located in Nassau County, Long Island, a suburb of NYC. If they move to Brooklyn, they will then be in NYC proper.

By: tackledummy1505

tackledummy1505 — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 21:55:44 +0000

I would like to see the Islanders stay in New York City. It’s a shame they don’t get any love there with their history and I love their jerseys. I’m a Flyers fan.

By: bcisleman

bcisleman — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 21:45:23 +0000

The majority of Isles fans are from Suffolk? According to who? Link please! Don’t see what difference proximity to MSG would make. Problem with Brooklyn is distance. It has the advantage of mass transit access as Queens would. Any Suffolk location would lack such mass transit access and would be a long car trip for Nassau & NYC fans. And, of course, Barclay’s has a huge advantage over Suffolk in that it exists and an arena in Suffolk is a long way from reality.

By: pone27

pone27 — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 21:01:24 +0000

I would count Nassau County out for a new Coliseum, but not Suffolk.

The majority of the Islanders fan base is here in Suffolk. Moving the Isles any closer to MSG would not bode well IMO.

BTW, Kate Murray, F-You. Signed, a Blackhawks fan from LI.

By: jerseypatriot76

jerseypatriot76 — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 20:49:53 +0000

The Islanders only averaged more than 14,500 people one time in the last dozen seasons. The NHL should be happy if the Islanders could fill all of the seats available for hockey at the Barclays Center. Plus those seats would be more expensive because of the new building and all of the suites.

I just do not see them staying in Nassau County. That bridge seems to have been burned. I think it is either Brooklyn or a new home for the Isles.

By: bcisleman

bcisleman — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 20:45:53 +0000

Of course, Barclays could be a short term solution while an arena was built in Queens, which has expressed an interest. Construction on the old Shea site would merely be a handshake deal although it would require the building of a parking garage as well. It would be an appropriate site as Bill Shea was instrumental in getting NVMC built as well as Shea Stadium. And many Islander fans are used to commuting to Queens to see the Mets.

In any event, the Isles’ days in Uniondale are numbered. Town of Hempstead Supervisor Kate Murray was quoted on Twitter by a Newsday reporter…better you should just read it as well as BD Gallof’s followup commentary:

http://www.islandershockeyblog.com/2012-articles/april/kate-murray-talks-coliseum-site-future.html