The Puck Stops Here: Islanders Coming To Brooklyn

October 24, 2012 Thomas Nocera

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A new, big-name tenet plans on calling the Barclays Center home in the near future. The NHL’s New York Islanders announced their intentions to move to the new arena at a press conference today.

“It was our goal from day one to keep the Islanders in the local New York area” said Islander’s owner Charles Wang. “We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to play in Barclays Center, a first class arena.”

Also present at the press conference were Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Borough President Marty Markowitz, and NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman. “Today is another great day for Brooklyn,” said Markowitz. “With the Nets and the Islanders, Brooklyn is beginning a dominant power play.”

This announcement comes a little over a year after Nassau residents turned down a proposal for a $400 million program to renovate the Nassau Coliseum, the team’s current and ailing home.

While the move to the Barclays Center is a big one, the team will keep its name and logo at the behest of NHL officials according to a press release. The Islanders’ lease with the Nassau Coliseum expires in 2015. The team is expected to wait till then to make their move. Their new contract with the Barclays Center is expected to be for a time period of 25 years.